Incidence of other contagious infections in Tatarstan during COVID-19 halves

09:00, 05.02.2021

Tatarstan becomes healthier

Preventive measures against coronavirus in general influenced the spread of contagious infections in Tatarstan. According to the data provided by the Tatarstan office of Russia’s consumer rights protection watchdog, the republic is two times below long-lasting indicators in such diseases (this indicator doesn’t include viral respiratory infections and COVID-19). Besides coronavirus, mainly non-flu viruses are circulating among the population now. While the incidence of viral respiratory infections is below the epidemiological bar by 6,7%.

“The rotavirus infection and norovirus are intestinal viral infections, and it is their season now. And their number has increased because compared to the period when everybody stood home and was in self-isolation, these cases weren’t registered. If we compare this with the analogous period two years ago when we also had a normal situation, there is no rise in the incidence. Today it is on everyone’s lips because there haven’t been big outbreaks for long,” said head of the Tatarstan office of the watchdog Lyubov Avdonina.

Distancing, mask wearing and increased personal hygiene are the reasons why the incidence decreased, Avdonina added.

School staff screening

To protect children, Tatarstan took a preventive measure — school staff members (for instance, those who work with food as well as teach children) and food operators were tested for noro-, rota- and astroviruses — those infections that can cause group outbreaks of diseases. Around 5,000 food unit workers were examined, the percentage of positive results was 0,3% — 14 people in total. The detected cases were asymptomatic. All workers were suspended from work, after receiving treatment from health workers, they will be allowed to work if they test negative.

The Russian watchdog noted a good fall in all infectious diseases except for viral respiratory infections and coronavirus as early as in summer. All rates decreased where masks, personal hygiene, isolation are preventive measures.

“Firstly, it is a group of airborne infections, chickenpox, scarlet fever, a group of intestinal infections, noroviruses, rotaviruses, dysentery, salmonella. Of course, the fact that cafes and restaurants were closed for long impacted the fall in the incidence of intestinal infections. Contagious skin diseases reduced too: scabies, the infection caused by microsporum and pediculosis. We also noted a decrease in tuberculosis because it is also an airborne infection,” Avdonina said.

Men and people from 70-80 years often die from COVID-19

14,100 people were vaccinated with Sputnik V in Tatarstan as of 3 February. 2,617 people of them received the second dose. However, the mask regime will be in force in the republic at least till the end of the epidemiological season.

“We set a bar to ourselves to see till the end of March how the situation will unfold, the growth pace, fall in the incidence. Then we will think about the restrictions,” Avdonina claimed.

Moreover, the Ministry of Health Care shared fresh statistics on mortality rate in the context of sexes and age groups. 54% of men and 46% of women have died from coronavirus, Vice Minister of Health Care of Tatarstan and head of Kazan’s Health Care Administration Vladimir Zhavoronkov said.

The mortality rate in Tatarstan:

under 40 years — 2%;
from 40 to 50 лет — 7,2%;
from 50 to 60 — 11,9%;
from 60 to 70 — 25,9%;
from 70 to 80 — 33,1%;
from 80 to 90 — 16,9%;
above 90 — 1,8%.

“Please take care of your mums and dads. You see the statistics I am showing you. Take care of not only their isolation but also take care of yourself as potential infection carriers. And, of course, vaccination — the age isn’t an obstacle," — Zhavoronkov said.

By Olga Pleshkova

Tatarstan