In the East Kazakhstan region, there has been an increase in the number of cases of ARVI. According to the department of sanitary and epidemiological control, 25 cases of Hong Kong flu have been laboratory confirmed.
According to Evgeny Pivovarov, the deputy head of the department, since the beginning of the season, 63,035 cases of ARVI have been registered in the region, of which 38,673 are children under 14 years old. This is a 15.9 percent increase compared to the same period last year. All identified cases of influenza belong to the A/H3N2 strain, including 10 cases among children.
It should be noted that no cases of Hong Kong flu have been registered among pregnant women, children under one year old, and vaccinated individuals. Pivovarov attributes the rise in morbidity to the seasonal spread of the virus and increased population density.
Vaccination against influenza has been carried out for 77,000 people in the region, which is more than 10 percent of the population. Most vaccinations were received by people from at-risk groups, and the vaccination campaign has been completed.
Doctors remind that vaccination during illness is not allowed, as immunity is formed within 10–14 days after vaccination. Residents are urged to stay home at the first signs of symptoms such as high fever, cough, sore throat, and weakness.
Earlier, the Ministry of Health reported that since September 1, more than 1.46 million cases of ARVI have been registered in Kazakhstan, two-thirds of which are children. Laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza number 590, most of which belong to the A/H3N2 strain.
