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Flu epidemic declared in Russia’s Urals region

Since January 18, a total of 13,300 flu and acute respiratory viral infection cases have been registered in the Chelyabinsk region

© Anton Vergun/TASS

YEKATERINBURG, January 26. /TASS/. The Chelyabinsk region in Russia’s Urals has declared an influenza epidemic, the local department of the consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said on Tuesday.

"The situation regarding the flu and the acute respiratory viral infection cases in the Chelyabinsk region is considered as epidemic. The level of incidences of disease is 25.7% higher than the epidemic threshold," the press service of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights has said.

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Since January 18, a total of 13,300 flu and acute respiratory viral infection cases have been registered in the region. Some 50 flu-related cases have been registered, including 43 cases of 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) and five cases of A (H1N1).

Rospotrebnadzor chief Anna Popova said on Monday the epidemiologic threshold was exceeded in 37 Russian regions.

The flu cases are now on the rise in Russia and are mainly caused by the swine virus strain. Russia’s Health Ministry said 31% of Russians had been vaccinated against the flu.

Swine flu is contagious and spreads in the same way as the seasonal flu. The most serious complication of the flu is pneumonia, leading to fatal cases.

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