The World Health Organization has recognized that the outbreak of a new coronavirus, which has a strain of SARS-CoV-2, is a worldwide infection. The first cases of infection were reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan in the meat and seafood market. The infection has spread to European countries and other states, due to the openness of borders. To date, coronavirus has been detected in Russia. Alarming and conflicting information comes from different cities.
How many people are infected with coronavirus in Kazan?
The Diamond Princess cruise ship is getting a bad rap after being infected with the coronavirus on board. Infected people were evacuated in the capital of Tatarstan, where a 17-deck liner arrived.
Coronavirus was detected in a Chinese citizen who was traveling to Hong Kong. After the evacuation of all passengers on January 25, the disease was detected in another 20 passengers of the liner who were in contact with the patient. Within 24 hours, the number of patients increased several times and amounted to 60 people.
As of March 7, 8 people were infected in Kazan, who underwent treatment and were discharged from the hospital.
Residents of Kazan aboard the Diamond Princess
On February 3, the liner sailed to Yokohama, where the crew and passengers were forbidden to leave the ship by local authorities. The ship was stopped near the shore in order to check carriers of the coronavirus. There were 3,700 passengers from 50 countries on board.
The pneumonia epidemic continued to spread on the ship. After arriving at the port of Yokogami, 100 people were evacuated from the liner, who were diagnosed with coronavirus. The number of infected on the liner did not stop increasing. As of February 10, 130 patients were registered, and more than 400 as of February 17. A Chinese woman died from the coronavirus. Among the patients was a citizen of the Russian Federation. A day later, her husband was diagnosed with the disease. There were 24 Russian citizens on board the Diamond Princess.
On February 19, they began to remove from quarantine those passengers whose tests for coronavirus were negative. The ship was abandoned by citizens of various countries, which include the Philippines, Israel, South Korea, Italy, Canada, etc. On March 13, the last 130 people landed. In order to exclude the virus carrier, these people must be quarantined for 2 weeks.
Was the coronavirus confirmed in the evacuated Russians?
On board the liner Diamond Princess there was a family who were residents of Kazan. Of the 24 Russians on board, 8 were at risk, so they were not removed from quarantine along with other citizens of the Russian Federation. On February 24, the Russian authorities agreed on the issue of the evacuation of their citizens in Kazan with the Chinese leadership.
In accordance with epidemiological standards, the evacuees had to adhere to quarantine for two weeks. Potential carriers of the virus were observed at the Agafonov Republican Infectious Diseases Hospital. Previously, boxes were prepared in the medical institution, in which one adult and one child could comfortably live.
Thanks to the equipment of the clinic with innovative equipment, it is possible to monitor patients and prevent the spread of infection in the medical facility. Infectionists monitor the well-being of passengers from the liner and medical workers who service the boxes.
The Chinese virus in Kazan was registered in 3 people. Experts noted that the disease is mild. There are no complications in patients, so nothing threatens their life and health.
A project to develop a vaccine against coronavirus was launched in Kazan
Despite the fact that the coronavirus is not actively spreading in Kazan, specialists from the Kazan Scientific University launched a project to develop a vaccine against the disease. At this stage of development, only KFU specialists are involved. Funding is provided by an autonomous non-profit organization. And it is true. At the first stage, research is carried out in laboratories with high-tech equipment.
According to Albert Rizvanov, director of the scientific and clinical center, there is no opportunity to work with a live virus, so specialists are creating a gene-therapeutic version of the vaccine. The published genome of the virus is taken as a basis. A. Rizvanov says that if the effect of the vaccine on laboratory animals is proven, then university specialists will contact public organizations that work with the live virus, which will allow it to be tested in specialized laboratories with a high level of biological safety.
Protective measures in the city and region
Despite the absence of a threat on the territory of Tatarstan, President Rustam Minnikhanov demands strict compliance with all requirements of the sanitary and epidemiological regime. He says that in the absence of the king at the entrances to and exits from the region, outbreaks of coronavirus could occur. These are defensive methods.
Restrictions have been introduced in the republic. Mass and cultural events are prohibited. The President urges to strictly comply with these requirements in order to avoid the spread of the virus in the territory of Tatarstan. He says that despite the fact that the situation is controlled by the authorities, there can be no easing in restrictions.
The head of the republic addressed the leadership of the Ministry of Education and recalled the school holidays in the near future. He recommends temporarily refusing to conduct tourist trips for schoolchildren. The President believes that when leaving, children are at great risk to their health, since during the excursion they stay at railway stations, at public catering points. If the tour is organized, then after entering Kazan or any other city, the group will be quarantined for two weeks. In Tatarstan, sports matches will be held without spectators.
Coronavirus does not spread in Kazan. The main reason for concern was the arrival of the Diamond Princess ship, on board of which there were people infected with the virus.