Flu in Georgia: school semester postponed, 640 being treated in hospitals
The symptoms of H1N1 virus are almost the same as the seasonal flu and may involve cough, fever, sore throat, body and headaches and fatigue. Photo: N.Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Tweet 
Share
Studies at Georgian public schools and kindergartens have been postponed until January 21 due to the spread of flu.
Up to 640 people are being treated in the country's hospitals for the virus, 39 of them are receiving critical care. According to official data 10 have lost their lives to the swine flu. A child and a young woman also died yesterday as they had suffered the symptoms of flu. However, it has not been yet confirmed in a lab that the reason of the deaths was also swine flu.
The Georgian Education Ministry has stated today that they will observe the situation during the time studies are postponed.
The ministry has recommended the leadership of all public schools to carry out disinfection activities.
Georgian Health Minister Sergeenko said that 45 per cent of patients consulted a doctor immediately after detecting the symptoms of flu and respiratory infection.
We have positive data today compared to yesterday. The number of flu-related hospitalisation has decreased by 100”, Sergeenko said.
Marijan Ivanusa, Head of the WHO Georgia Office, has called upon Georgians not to buy or use antiviral medication Tamiflu based on their own decisions without visiting the doctor.
Tamiflu is an antiviral drug. It is similar to antibiotics, but it works against the flu virus, so I want to warn people: drugs are not sweets and must not be taken upon one’s own decision.
“If you see respiratory symptoms, do not run into a drugstore, do not buy and take Tamiflu. This is a drug which should not be taken without consulting a doctor,” Ivanusa said.
The Georgian Health Ministry says that there is no risk of epidemic.
Parents of Georgian schoolchildren have requested the winter-spring school session commence later than scheduled to the spread of the acute respiratory illness H1N1, also known as the swine flu. A total of 158 cases of H1N1 have been reported in the country this winter – the illness has claimed ten lives.
Four pharmacy chains have received an additional supply of anti-flu medicine Tamiflu, totalling 800 packages from the Ministry of Health.
Georgian Health Minister Davit Sergeenko says there is no risk of a swine flu epidemic in the country
About 63 cases of influenza have been reported in the last 3 weeks and 95% of them were H1N1, known as the swine flu, reports director of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Amiran Gamkrelidze.
Thirteen people have died because of the HINI acute respiratory illness in Georgia, which is also known as swine flu, the Georgian National Disease Control Center says.
Leading Georgian pharmacies have decided to decrease the price of anti-flu medicine Tamiflu, the cost of which formerly ranged between 72-99 GEL.
De facto leaderships of two Georgian occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) have decided to close the so-called border with the rest of Georgia to “avoid the spread of H1NI,” the flu which has claimed 15 lives in Georgia.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has stated that the state will cover the expenses for anti-flu medicine Tamiflu and Georgian citizens in need of the medicine will receive it free of charge, Georgian Health Minister David Sergeenko stated today.
The Georgian National Disease Control Centre has decided to reveal the statistics of flu in Georgia over the past 10 years to dispel speculations that 2018-2019 is an “exceptionally bad year” in terms of flu.
State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality of Georgia Ketevan Tsikhelashvil ihas criticised the de-facto leadership of Georgia’s occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) for their decision to close the so-called border with the rest of Georgia to avoid the spread of H1N1 flu.
A woman who delivered via C-section birth a week ago has died allegedly due to the H1N1 flu.
Seventeen people have died because of the H1N1 acute respiratory illness in Georgia, which is also known as swine flu, the Georgian National Disease Control Centre says.
Georgian schools have reopened to students today after a week delay in studies due to the flu.
The first visit he took was to Iashvili Children's Central Hospital, where two children are being treated.
The Georgian Health Ministry has announced that pregnant women and socially vulnerable individuals will receive antiviral medication Tamiflu free of charge upon doctor’s prescription.
Passengers travelling from China to Georgia are being examined for a new strain of the coronavirus that originates in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Georgian doctors are examining passengers as well as providing them with information on the symptoms of the virus upon arrival.
Georgia's National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has launched preventive measures against the China-born coronavirus in places populated by Chinese all over the country.