H1N1 virus claims third victim in Georgia
By Tea Mariamidze
Friday, January 22
The H1N1 virus has claimed another life in Georgia. A middle-aged woman, who arrived in Zugdidi from Abkhazia and died in a local hospital. This is the third victim of Swine Flu in Georgia.
Based on the latest data, the 248 virus cases are fixed on every 100 thousand people.
According to Paata Imnadze, Head of National Diseases Control Center, the statistics of virus cases in Georgia is lower for 2016 in comparison to recent years and there is no threat of an epidemic.
"This virus is wandering all over the country, as well as all over our neighboring countries in the European region. Tens of thousands of people have already suffered from this virus, some seriously, some more lightly," said Imnadze, and recommended that the population seek help from doctors and hospitals if they notice any symptoms of the flu.
A general mobilization has been announced at First Medical Aid and family doctors are being transferred onto a special working regime due to the increasing number of cases of the H1N1 virus in Georgia.
According to Health Minister Davit Sergeenko, there is no cause for panic and no threat of a H1N1 epidemic.
The Minister underlined that the recent steps made by the Ministry - moving to a 24 hour service and adding more ambulance vehicles - aim at normalizing ambulance services to suppress any outbreak.
"In recent days, we had several dozens of outstanding emergency calls, when the ambulance failed to go to the indicated address due to an overloaded regime," said Sergeenko.
According to the deputy head of Tbilisi Emergency Center, Maka Gvaramia, the city’s ambulance vehicles – which are provided by the Health Ministry - are more than enough to handle medical emergencies in Tbilisi.
She said that emergency calls have increased by 400 calls per day compared to the previous year.
