“The beginning of the epidemic”: how the situation with the spread of coronavirus in Europe is developing

In Europe, cases of coronavirus infection are increasingly being detected. During the day, the number of infected in Germany exceeded the mark of 50 people.

According to the representative of the country's Ministry of Health Susanna Wackers, so far 53 cases of infection of a new type of coronavirus have been confirmed in the country. She clarified that this number includes those who fell ill in January and have since recovered.

However, the deputy head of the Robert Koch Institute, Lars Schade, said that in one day the number of people infected in Germany grew by 27 people, that is, doubled. As the country's health minister Jens Spahn previously said, “the chain of transmission of infection cannot be partially tracked,” describing the situation as “the beginning of an epidemic.”

• In which countries is coronavirus detected?

In turn, the British Ministry of Health reports about 19 infected in the country, and in France the number of infected doubled - from 18 to 38. This was announced by the Minister of Social Affairs and Health Olivier Veran. The official announced the previous figure on Wednesday, February 26.

Earlier, President Emmanuel Macron warned of the upcoming virus epidemic in France.

“We are facing a crisis, an epidemic is coming ... Our duty is to resist it in the best way,” he warned.

The main focus of the spread of coronavirus in Europe remains Italy. According to the latest data, the number of infected people approached the mark of 650 people, and the death toll totaled 17. Recovered - 45.

New infections have been found in countries where only a few days ago they reported the first infected. In Sweden, the number of people with coronavirus reached seven; in Switzerland and Austria, six and four, respectively. The first cases were also found in Mexico, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Azerbaijan.

Iran remains a major source of coronavirus spread outside Southeast Asia and Europe. There were recorded at least 270 cases of the disease, of which 26 cases were fatal.

The total number of people with the new coronavirus outside of China exceeds 3.6 thousand people. This is stated in the message of the World Health Organization (WHO). Its head, Tedros Adhan Gebreyesus, had previously warned that this infection could cause a pandemic.

“This virus has the potential to become a pandemic ... but we are ready to help all countries strengthen their national health systems,” said Gebreyesus.

According to WHO qualifications, a pandemic is a global spread of the disease. In this regard, it is worth noting that cases of infection are recorded on all continents, except Antarctica, where there is no permanent population.

To date, around the world, there are over 82 thousand patients and more than 2.8 thousand deaths as a result of the effects of coronavirus.

Coronavirus in Belarus

On the morning of February 28, it became known about the first case of infection in Belarus. According to the press service of the Ministry of Health of the Republic, we are talking about a citizen of Iran.

“On February 27, tests conducted at the Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology showed one of the students from Iran had the 2019-nCoV coronavirus,” the ministry said.

The young man and everyone who contacted him are in the closed boxes of the Minsk Infectious Diseases Hospital. He is a student of the Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU). The school has taken special measures.

• President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko
• Reuters
• © Alexander Zemlianichenko / Pool

“The university, in which the case of coronavirus carriage was detected, is being transferred to an individual training program,” said Minister of Health Vladimir Karanik. His words are quoted by RIA Novosti.

The Belarusian Ministry of Health noted that against the background of the deteriorating epidemiological situation in South Korea, Iran and Italy, a survey of all people who arrived from these countries is being conducted.

At the same time, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said he did not see the need to close the state’s borders.

“This is empty,” BelTA quotes Lukashenko as saying.

New restrictions in Russia

Russia temporarily restricted the entry of foreign citizens from Iran. The corresponding order appeared on the government website. The document belongs to the category of "Sanitary and epidemiological safety."

“A decision has been made to temporarily suspend the passage through the state border of the Russian Federation of citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who enter for training and work, as well as for private, tourist and transit purposes,” the website of the Cabinet of Ministers says.

As stated in the document, the Iranian side should be notified that the measures introduced are “justified by special circumstances and are exclusively temporary.” The order began to operate at 0:00 on February 28.

Another published document restricts the entry of foreign nationals from the territory of South Korea at air border crossing points. This measure is introduced from 0:00 on March 1.

In both orders, an exception is provided - from Iran and South Korea, Russia can be reached through Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport.

In addition, both orders do not apply to citizens of the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union, aircraft crews, official delegations, as well as those who have a residence permit in Russia.

Earlier it was reported that the ban on scheduled and charter flights will not affect Aeroflot, Mahan Air and Korean Air. The planes of these carriers will fly through terminal F of Sheremetyevo Airport.

According to the Rospotrebnadzor, there are no new cases of coronavirus in Russia.

To date, three people have found the coronavirus in Russia - they were on board the Diamond Princess liner, where an outbreak of infection occurred. They were evacuated from Japan (where the ship was) to quarantine in Kazan, where the diagnosis was confirmed.

The agency also added that if a coronavirus is suspected, the patient should be isolated in a separate room and a general practitioner or an ambulance should be called.

Potentially, the patient was urged to allocate a separate room or try to stay at least one meter away from him. The Rospotrebnadzor indicated that the arriving doctor will take an analysis to diagnose coronavirus.