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- Strong winter quarters: Russia is experiencing a peak in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza
Strong winter quarters: Russia is experiencing a peak in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza
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Russia is experiencing a peak in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza, experts interviewed by Izvestia believe. Since the beginning of March, more than 1.1 million cases per week have been registered, which indicates its high level, Rospotrebnadzor noted. But according to the Smorodintsev Influenza Research Institute, for the first time in nine weeks, the rate of infection with respiratory viral infections began to decrease. Experts note that these are only fluctuations at the peak, and the true decline will not begin until the end of April. The regions are actively introducing quarantines in educational and preschool institutions, as well as transferring students and schoolchildren to distance learning. Such measures have been taken, for example, in the Perm Territory, Kaluga, Murmansk and Tomsk regions.
Decline or growth
The epidemic thresholds for the incidence of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections have been significantly exceeded in at least ten Russian cities, the Influenza Research Institute reported. We are talking, in particular, about Bryansk, Vologda, Kirov, Nizhny Novgorod, Orel, Simferopol, Syktyvkar, Tomsk, Ulyanovsk and Chelyabinsk. There, weekly thresholds have been exceeded by 20 percent or more, which is one of the signs of the epidemic's development.
The territorial bodies of Rospotrebnadzor, in particular, in the Ulyanovsk and Tomsk regions, also warn about exceeding the surveillance thresholds.
"The weekly incidence rate in the region exceeded the epidemic threshold by 7.73%. And in Ulyanovsk — by 13.24%," the website of the Department of Rospotrebnadzor in the Ulyanovsk region says. From March 10 to March 16, 12.7 thousand cases of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza were registered there, which is 4.63% higher than the previous week.
In the Tomsk region, 13.8 thousand people applied to medical organizations during the week, of which 8.3 thousand live in Tomsk. "The epidemic threshold has been exceeded in Alexandrovsky, Molchanovsky, Tomsk, Chainsky districts, as well as in the cities of Tomsk and Kedrovoye," the agency reported.
But the Influenza Research Institute measures the situation only in 61 cities of Russia. Izvestia checked the reports of Rospotrebnadzor in the regions and made sure that the incidence was higher than normal in at least three more Russian regions. This situation was reported in the Samara and Kaluga regions, as well as in Karachay-Cherkessia.
In the Samara region, according to the Department of Rospotrebnadzor for the region, 18.2 thousand cases of acute respiratory viral infections were recorded, which is 54.2% higher than the epidemic threshold. The increase is mainly observed in the group of adolescents over 15 years of age and adults — by 115.5%. And in Karachay-Cherkessia, this indicator is higher in the group of children aged 7-14 and people aged 15 and older.
In Russia, more than 1.1 million cases of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza are registered per week. The incidence remains at a high level for the third week in a row, Rospotrebnadzor reported.
Due to the increase in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza in Russia, the educational process in educational institutions has been suspended. According to Rospotrebnadzor, 462 schools and 162 preschool institutions, 11 boarding schools and one vocational school were closed last week.
For example, according to reports from the regional departments of Rospotrebnadzor, such measures have been taken in the Perm Territory, Kaluga, Murmansk and Tomsk regions.
Ups and downs
In St. Petersburg, according to the Rospotrebnadzor office for the city, from March 10 to March 16, there was a decrease in the incidence of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections by 4.2% compared to the previous week. At the same time, according to the local health committee, in infectious diseases hospitals from March 10 to March 16, 85% of beds were filled with COVID-19 or pneumonia patients.
"St. Petersburg is at the peak of epidemic growth," they said.
In the Kaluga Region, the local Rospotrebnadzor reported a 24.8% decrease in the incidence of influenza. But he noted an increase in cases of other respiratory infections. According to the local Rospotrebnadzor, the number of people hospitalized with SARS symptoms has decreased.
"43 people were hospitalized in hospitals in the region, 76 in the previous week. The rate of decline was 43.4%," the agency's website says.
Izvestia sent requests to the Moscow Department of Health and Rospotrebnadzor with a request to clarify how full the beds in infectious diseases hospitals in the capital and other regions are now.
The duration of the flu epidemic ranges from six to eight weeks, Maxim Korshunov, an allergist and immunologist at the Alexandrovsky Medical Center, reminded Izvestia.
— It is possible that we are on the verge of reducing the incidence. But the peak values are still there," he added.
Andrey Pozdnyakov, an infectious disease specialist at Invitro, noted that now viruses are "getting" what they "didn't get" in January and February.
— The increase in the incidence will stop in April. In this case, the decline will begin in May," the expert added.
And Marina Berezhnaya, a general practitioner and head of the emergency and emergency department at the European Medical Center, suggested that there would no longer be a significant increase in the incidence.
— Nevertheless, the number of infections will not decrease dramatically before the onset of heat. The situation should improve in a month," she said.
Rospotrebnadzor reminded that spring weather can be deceptive. Too early a switch to light clothing can contribute to hypothermia, followed by the development of respiratory diseases, the department noted.
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