# 3964
As the H1N1 virus continues its fall and winter march across the Northern Hemisphere, reports of its impact are starting to emerge from places like the Ukraine, Belarus, and now Russia.
Thus far, the reports we get describe a pandemic that is very wide, but not terribly deep.
A lot of illness, but relatively low mortality rates.
Today we learn, via Dutchy on FluTrackers, that Moscow will keep their schools closed for at least an additional week on top of the current school holiday now in progress.
MOSCOW SCHOOLS SHUT BECAUSE OF FLU
05.11.2009
School holidays in Moscow will last a week longer than scheduled - until November 16 inclusive. As reported in Thursday, November 5, in the City of sanitation and epidemic commission, the decision was taken because of the epidemic of seasonal flu and SARS.(=ILI, ed) Teachers call up the students and tell them the news.
Holidays, which began Monday, were to be completed on November 8.
This information was confirmed spokesman Sergei Tsoi mayor. As reported earlier press office of Mayor and the Moscow government, the incidence of SARS and avian influenza in Russia's capital to date has exceeded the epidemic threshold by almost half.
As of 1 November, in Moscow, SARS and flu are sick more than 166 thousand people, including nearly 106 thousand children.
Recall, registered in Russia for 13 deaths from swine influenza. The most unfortunate situation with the epidemic develops in Transbaykal, Krasnoyarsk, Khabarovsk, Primorsky regions, Sakhalin Oblast, and Moscow. Vaccination against swine influenza begin in Moscow for November 9.
According to WHO, worldwide, most cases still occur in adolescents and young adults, with the highest rates of hospitalization observed among very young children. From 1% to 10% of patients with clinical manifestation of disease require hospitalization. Of the hospitalized patients from 10% to 25% need to be admitted to ICUs and from 2% to 9% die.
In general, from 7% to 10% of all hospitalized patients are pregnant women in the second or third trimester of pregnancy. Compared with the general population the likelihood that pregnant women need medical care in the intensive care ward, ten times higher.
And from Itar-Tass News agency, a column (as opposed to a news story) about how the pandemic is progressing across Russia. While calling the situation in the Ukraine `alarming’, this report tries to downplay the impact in Russia and the `tone’ is reassuring.
An interesting read, but as always, Caveat Lector. A hat tip to Cathy M on the Flu Wiki for finding and posting this report.
Flu situation in Russia not as bad as in Ukraine, but far from calm
05.11.2009, 20.06
By Itar-Tass World Service writer Lyudmila Alexandrova
Over 3,000 cases of swine flu have been registered in Russia. Fourteen patients have died from the disease. In most cases the victims turned for medical assistance when it was already too late. Although the situation in Russia is not as alarming as in neighboring Ukraine, where swine flu and viral respiratory diseases have killed 86, it is far from calm.
"There are no fears over the risk of a negative pandemic scenario," says Deputy Health and Social Development Minister Veronika Skvortsova. So far laboratory tests have confirmed 3,122 cases of A/H1N1 flu in Russia. Most of those who contracted it have recovered and 1,200 others are still sick. In six percent of patients the illness has proved grave.
Skvortsova warned against breeding panic for which there is absolutely no reason. A total of 4,000 patients die in Russia every month of cardiovascular diseases, 24,000 of cancer, and 2,600 of infection diseases. In the meantime, swine flu has claimed only fourteen lives.
"Our country is among those where the march of events is favorable," she said. Russia has managed to avoid a negative flu epidemic scenario.
At the same time the republic of Buryatia on November 4 declared a state of emergency due to the highly pathogenic virus. As at November 72 patients in Buratia were down with swine flu. On the whole, the epidemiological threshold has been exceeded 3.1 times. All crowded events have been canceled, including conferences, public festivities and rallies. The same applies to business trips.
Wearing masks in public places is obligatory and visiting patients in hospitals is not allowed.
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