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BULGARIA-HEALTH-FLU
Bulgaria closes schools amid nationwide flu epidemic
SOFIA, March 6, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Bulgaria declared a nationwide influenza
epidemic, closing schools and banning planned surgeries from Friday as the
country — so far spared any novel coronavirus infections — grapples with a
rise in flu cases.
Members of the national task force set up to address the new coronavirus
warned hospitals were already full of flu patients, potentially jeopardising
preparedness to respond to an expected virus arrival and spread.
Doctors in the EU’s poorest member say the country of 7 million people has
seen an unusual rapid spread of type B flu.
“Such rapid growth of type B flu has not happened in Bulgaria for the past
ten years,” said Todor Kantardzhiev, director of the national centre for
contagious diseases.
Almost 5,000 people contracted type B flu in the last week of February,
according to National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases data with
babies and children aged under 14 most affected.
Schools will remain closed until March 11, the health ministry said,
recommending universities cancel classes in order to contain the outbreak.
Local authorities were also advised to cancel sports or cultural events
likely to draw large numbers of people.
Hospitals were meanwhile ordered to postpone all planned surgeries and ban
patients’ visits.
Pharmacies in the Balkan country have already run out of protective face
masks and disinfectants as people rushed to stock themselves amid a
coronavirus panic.
“The health system is already overburdened even before a first case of
coronavirus has been detected,” said health ministry official Angel Kunchev.
BSS/AFP/SSS/1949 hrs