The epidemic threshold for influenza and acute respiratory viral infections was exceeded in almost 50 regions.

Rospotrebnadzor reported that from February 24 to March 2, the incidence of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections increased by 10.4%. One of the highest exceedances of the epidemic threshold in Russia was registered in Karachay-Cherkessia — it is higher by 121%, Izvestia found out.

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The growth, according to the website of the Rospotrebnadzor office for the republic, occurred at the expense of the adult population of 15 years and older. In this group, this indicator was exceeded by 182%, among children aged 3-6 years — by 104%.

Due to the increase in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza in Russia, more than 1.3 thousand schools in 53 regions, 181 preschool institutions in 31 regions and 10 boarding schools were closed, Rospotrebnadzor noted.

"Almost 12 thousand classrooms, 2.29 thousand groups of preschoolers, 24 groups in boarding schools and 85 groups in vocational schools are also partially closed," the department added.

Classes were suspended or students were transferred to distance learning, for example, in Perm Krai, Yakutia, Pskov Region, Komi, Udmurtia, Crimea, Sevastopol and Altai, according to reports from the regional departments of Rospotrebnadzor.

The increase in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza, according to Marina Berezhnaya, head of the emergency and emergency department at the European Medical Center, is associated with changeable weather and a sharp cold snap and may persist until the end of spring, until warmer weather sets in.

Read more in the exclusive Izvestia article:

Contagious success: the epidemic threshold for influenza and acute respiratory viral infections has been exceeded in 47 regions