At the government session chaired by the Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the country was considered, Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan Azhar Giniyat made a report on measures to combat coronavirus infection.

So, according to the head of the Ministry of Healthcare, the epidemiological situation in the republic regarding coronavirus infection remains tense, but at the same time, over the past week, compared to the previous one, the situation has stabilized.

“Since the beginning of the year, more than 250 thousand people have become ill with coronavirus infection in the republic, the average daily number of cases over the past week has amounted to more than 8 thousand cases. As before, the whole country and 14 regions are in the red zone, the Kyzylorda region and the city of Shymkent have moved to the yellow zone, the Turkistan region is in the green zone,” said Azhar Giniyat.

In January, compared with December, the mortality rate from CVI was reduced by 1.3 times. Over the past two weeks, the incidence of coronavirus infection has increased by 2.4 times. At the same time, the largest increase in the incidence of 6 times is observed in 5 regions — Pavlodar, North Kazakhstan, Akmola, Kostanay and East Kazakhstan regions.

From 2 to 6 times the incidence increased in 7 regions: West Kazakhstan, Karaganda, Aktobe, Zhambyl, Almaty, Atyrau regions and in Almaty. Growth up to 2 times is noted in 5 regions: Mangystau, Turkistan, Kyzylorda regions and in the cities of Nur-Sultan and Shymkent. In this regard, local executive bodies should continue awareness-raising work among the population about measures to prevent CVI, involve all interested state bodies and organizations, public organizations in this work.

“The Ministry of Healthcare conducts daily monitoring of the incidence of coronavirus infection among children, including schoolchildren. Thus, the high level of morbidity in the whole country has also affected the incidence among schoolchildren, since mid-January we have seen a significant increase in the incidence. Over the past week, the incidence of CVI among schoolchildren has increased by 1.3 times,” the Minister of Healthcare noted.

The proportion of schoolchildren from the total number of cases of CVI above 10% is noted in Turkistan, Akmola, West Kazakhstan, North Kazakhstan, Kostanay regions, in the cities of Nur-Sultan and Shymkent. Azhar Giniyat also called on parents of children over 12 years old to make a decision in favor of vaccinating their children.

Continuing her report, Giniyat informed that almost 152,000 patients are receiving treatment in healthcare organizations, of which 93% are outpatients and 7% are inpatients. At the same time, over the past two weeks, the occupancy of infectious beds has increased by 1.2 times from 31% to 38%, intensive care beds by 1.2 times from 17% to 22%. An increase in the occupancy of infectious beds over the past 10 days has been observed in Kostanay region by 2.3 times, East Kazakhstan region — 1.8, Zhambyl — 1.7 times, resuscitation beds in Mangystau region — 7 times, Aktobe — 2.8, West Kazakhstan — 2.3 times.

“In order to provide timely medical care and reduce the number of seriously ill patients, it is necessary to strengthen awareness-raising work among the population about the inadmissibility of self-treatment of CVI, to provide a sufficient number of mobile teams, for this, regional akimats need to allocate additional vehicles in a timely manner. Given the increase in the incidence, it is necessary to keep under constant control the availability of medicines at the outpatient level, the presence of anti-inflammatory and antipyretic drugs in the pharmacy network. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen the work of PHC situational centers in order to provide all outpatients with examination and dynamic monitoring, including using remote services,” Giniyat emphasized.

In January, more than 196 thousand people were vaccinated, the most active work on vaccination was carried out in Akmola, Almaty, Aktobe, West Kazakhstan, Karaganda, Mangystau and North Kazakhstan regions. In total, more than 80% of the eligible adult population or 51.7% of the population of the Republic of Kazakhstan were vaccinated in the country with the first component and 77 and 47.8% — with the second component.

Revaccination of the population is being actively carried out. So, more than 1.5 million people received the third dose of the vaccine, of which about 1 million — in January. The highest coverage is noted in East Kazakhstan, North Kazakhstan and Zhambyl regions.

In the country, there is currently an annual rise in the incidence of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections, which annually falls on January-February. Before the start of the epidemic season, more than 2.7 million people were vaccinated against influenza, which is 14% of the population of the republic. Currently, influenza A virus is circulating throughout the republic. In total, more than 500 cases of influenza have been identified.

Since the second decade of January, there has been a sharp increase in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections, which corresponds to the epidemic season of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections, compared with the epidemiological season of 2019, the incidence increased by 1.2 times, over the past week, a high incidence rate has been maintained, while the incidence among children has increased by 13%.

In the conditions of offline learning, there remains a high risk of an increase in the incidence of both CVI and SARS in the child population. Non-specific measures for the prevention of influenza and SARS are similar to the prevention of CVI and are also relevant — this is the observance of the mask regime, the refusal to visit crowded places. If signs of illness appear, you need to stay at home, isolate yourself from others and seek medical help in a timely manner.