Epidemiologist: the situation with the import of especially dangerous infections in Belarus is under control

The situation with the import of particularly dangerous infections to Belarus is under full control, and all specialized services are ready for any emergency scenarios. On October 6, Kirill Ignatov, an epidemiologist, head of the immunoprophylaxis department of the Republican Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, told reporters, the correspondent of the Minsk-Novosti agency reports.

The reason for the discussion was recent reports from the Irkutsk region, where a girl died with a suspected pneumonic plague. And, as K. Ignatov noted, despite the fact that the diagnosis was not confirmed in the end (the deceased was diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown etiology), the issue of biological safety remains under strict control among Belarusian specialists.

According to the speaker, special attention in our country is paid to preventing the penetration of viruses and bacteria from the outside.

- The situation is constantly monitored at checkpoints across the state border of Belarus, said K. Ignatov. This applies to both Minsk National Airport and regional air hubs and other ground checkpoints across the State Border. Passenger and cargo flows are continuously monitored.

Tactics of actions and interaction between services have been worked out. Today, both the border, customs and medical services of the country are ready for any situations that may arise on the territory of the country, including the importation of any particularly dangerous infection into our territory.

The expert stressed that annual exercises on the elimination of foci of especially dangerous infections are held both at the local level in each region and throughout the republic.

“Belarusians should not be afraid of the spread of such diseases within the country,” Ignatov added. The national health system has all the necessary resources to localize threats.