MINSK, 30 January (BelTA) – The Healthcare Ministry of Belarus is keeping a close watch on the epidemiological situation due to a new virus outbreak in China. Belarusian medical specialists have tested 121 people, with no cases of 2019-nCoV virus confirmed so far, BelTA learned from the press service of the Healthcare Ministry of Belarus.
The National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology have tested 74 people, including 25 Chinese nationals, six citizens of Ukraine and the rest being Belarusians. The majority of them returned from China. Forty-seven more people were tested after arriving from China at Minsk National Airport on 29 January. “No cases of the new coronavirus were confirmed,” the ministry said.
Health workers found three cases of influenza A(H1N1) and mycoplasmal pneumonia, as well as one case of influenza B virus, rhinovirus. Another person was diagnosed with influenza A and mycoplasmal pneumonia.
As of 9am of 30 January, 18 samples (six from patients with ARVI clinic and 12 from clinically healthy people) were in the testing process.
According to the ministry, the National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology has all the necessary reagents, equipment, technologies and highly qualified staff. The center operates 24/7. Ambulance crews can use special clothes and boxes to transport patients in the current sanitary and epidemiological situation.
On 31 December 2019, the Chinese authorities alerted the World Health Organization of an outbreak of unusual pneumonia cases in the city of Wuhan, a big trade and industrial center with the population of more than 11 million people. On 7 January Chinese doctors identified the infectious agent, the 2019 nCoV coronavirus. Cases of the new virus have been confirmed in 16 countries. WHO said that the latest virus outbreak is an emergency in China, but it has not yet become a global health emergency.
About 8,000 cases of the 2019 nCoV virus has been so far confirmed. The death roll rose to 170 people. China's financial agencies have allocated an estimated ¥27.3 billion (about $3.96 billion) to fight the new coronavirus.
On 29 January Belarus sent the humanitarian aid to China to help it fight the coronavirus outbreak. An Ilyushin Il-76MD airlifter with the humanitarian cargo on board took off from the Machulishchi airfield. The aircraft was airborne for 20 hours and had to stop in Novosibirsk and Vladivostok to refuel the aircraft. It will be back in Belarus on 2 February.
The decision to send humanitarian aid was made by Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko on 28 January. All in all, Belarus shipped 20 tonnes of humanitarian aid to China. The cargo was put together based on China's requests. The cargo includes 4.5 tonnes of antibiotics that are most commonly used to treat complications of a viral infection, over 10 tonnes of disinfecting agents for various uses, personal protective equipment for medical staff (gloves, surgical masks, disposable clothing), air decontamination materials.
Photos courtesy of the press service of Belarus' Healthcare Ministry
