Flu epidemic officially announced in Minsk

In connection with exceeding the incidence of disease threshold in Minsk a flu and viral infection epidemic was officially announced in Minsk on November 6.

It has been stated by Minsk city Sanitary and Epidemiological Center to Interfax.

In is the second flu and viral infections epidemic in Minsk in 2009. In the end of January-beginning of February a complex of epidemic measures in connection with crossing the incidence of disease threshold was introduced in Belarus. Another outbreak was expected in the early January, epidemiologists explained.

The situation with swine flu epidemic in the country remains unclear. As www.charter97.org website informed, on November 4 official mass media with a reference to the Health Ministry informed that there is a seasonal growth of acute respiratory infections in Belarus. This year there are almost 70% more cases in the country as compared to the last year.

According to official reports, 85 cases of swine flu have been found countrywide, 31 person are in hospitals, 47 persons have recovered from sickness. 7 out of 19 patients who died of pneumonia had A/H1N1 virus.

It is obvious that in reality much more people then officially stated 85 persons have swine flu in Belarus. As the Health Ministry informed previously, vast majority of those who went down with pneumonia earlier, do not pass tests for swine flu. It should also be noted that average swine flu mortality rate is much lower, less than 1%.

Today in Belarus, even according official data, the number of swine flu cases is 4.5 times higher than in Ukraine. However, all the medicines necessary for treating flu, including Tamiflu, are absent in pharmacies. There are no most necessary things like facial masks, oxolinic ointment and even ascorbic acid in Belarusian chemist's shops.