MINSK, 20 February (BelTA) – More than 460,000 people have been screened for coronavirus in Belarus, Healthcare Minister Vladimir Karanik told reporters on 20 February, BelTA has learned.
No coronavirus cases have been reported in Belarus so far. “As of 19 February, medical screenings were undertaken by 459,957 people, including 1,053 persons who were in China in the previous 14 days, including 782 Chinese nationals. All in all, 1,557 laboratory tests have been done,” Vladimir Karanik said.
In his words, 80 people who came from China developed symptoms of an acute respiratory infection. “All of them received medical help and were tested for the virus. The tests revealed various viral infections. However, none of them tested positive for coronavirus. The absolute majority of them have already been discharged from hospital and returned home,” the minister noted.
A reminder, the World Health Organization gave the new coronavirus the official name – COVID-19. It was established that 168 laboratories around the world are equipped with technologies to detect coronavirus. Six laboratories - in the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Russia - will support the countries of the region in diagnostics.
On 30 January Belarus issued a health alert as a precaution. A series of measures have been taken to strengthen the national capacity to detect and tackle the virus. The country's healthcare organizations are ready to receive people suspected of contracting the virus.
The diagnostic laboratory of the National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology carries out tests round the clock.
