Flu epidemic in Romania
Romanian health authorities on Wednesday declared a flu epidemic, given the increasing number of infections in the past three weeks.
Ştefan Stoica, 31.01.2019, 13:44
Romania is officially facing a flu epidemic, with hundreds of cases and dozens of deaths reported in the last three weeks. Delivered by Health Minister Sorina Pintea, the announcement was to be expected. There are no areas safe from the virus, nor people impervious to this disease, considering the death toll included people who were not at risk either in terms of their age or their history of medical conditions.
Calling on the population not to panic, Minister Pintea said the incidence of the disease is not expected to decrease in the coming month, readdressing the population and doctors certain recommendations: “Visitors will have restricted access to all health units, especially in high-risk wards. Stocks of antiviral medicine necessary for the treatment of acute respiratory diseases must be replenished immediately. All patients showing symptoms associated with influenza must immediately undergo antiviral therapy upon admission. Prophylactic antiviral treatment will be applied to people who had contact with the admitted patients, while all unvaccinated medical staff will proceed to immediate vaccination. Protection equipment will be restocked and used appropriately. Additionally, antiseptics and disinfectants will be immediately restocked in order to ensure a rigorous hygiene of hands and surfaces”.
Vaccination remains the key preemptive solution. The Health Ministry announced it has ordered an additional 30,000 shots for the population at risk, which started being distributed on Thursday to all public health directorates that requested the vaccine. Of the 1.3 million anti-influenza vaccine shots ordered initially some 12,000 are still available. People are urged to observe the regulations stipulated in this situation.
Sorina Pintea: “Consulting family physicians for any symptoms associated with flu in order to decide if hospital care is recommended, the voluntary home isolation of all people presenting flu-related symptoms, observing coughing and sneezing public etiquette, proper hand hygiene, wearing the appropriate protection equipment, and anti-flu vaccination are recommended”.
Health authorities have also recommended people to avoid crowded areas, expressing confidence that the nearing inter-semester one-week break will favor a slowdown in the circulation of the disease. Children, however, would best avoid activities in collectivity. At any rate, school inspectorates are free to suspend classes partially or fully wherever a 20% increase in the incidence of flu cases is reported.
