Kazakhstan takes steps against new coronavirus
A press conference on the steps to prevent the new coronavirus infection that originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan so far claiming lives of 6 persons and infecting over 300 people took place, Strategy2050.kz correspondent reports.
The World Health Organization reports of 306 cases of a new coronavirus infection in China, of which 6 cases are lethal, as of 22 January 2020. The Chinese city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, is where the first cases of the infection were detected, according to preliminary information. So far, the infection has spread to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the USA.
Kazakhstan has no cases of the new infection.
The new type coronavirus infection has not been previously identified among people. Its symptoms include a fever, difficulty in breathing, lung infiltrates. The infection can cause pneumonia, SARS, kidney failure, leading to death.
Zhandarbek Bekshin, deputy chairman of the committee on quality control and safety of goods and services, spoke of a complex of sanitary and epidemiological and preventive measures the country adopted against the infection.
Those measures include the Kazakh Chief Medical Officer’s order “On the stronger sanitary and epidemiological, sanitary and preventive measures to steer clear of the entry and spread of pneumonia of unknown cause in Kazakhstan” (No.1 of 6 January this year);
“The Kazakh foreign ministry sent a letter to the Chinese embassy requesting official information on the epidemiological situation is respect of the infection, the Health, Social Protection of Population and Culture and Sport Ministries received the recommendations to inform Kazakh residents going abroad,” he said.
Persons, especially those arriving from China, undergo contactless thermometry at all airports and train stations. Preventive work was carried out with employees of airports, border and customs services, flight personnel, train conductors.
“Training is planned at Nur-Sultan, Almaty airports in case of the infection,” he said.
Among the recommendations are to restrict unnecessary travels to China, especially the city of Wuhan and Hubei Province.
“Those with symptoms of respiratory diseases must seek medical care, inform the doctor on travels and stays,” he said.
Among other recommendations are avoiding being too close to persons suffering acute respiratory diseases, as well as avoid sick animals and pats; the wearing of masks when there’s skin-to-skin contact with persons suffering SARS, and so on.
Author: Adlet Seilkhanov
