About 18 million people worldwide are infected with the coronavirus. The spread of coronavirus infection in Azerbaijan began on February 28 with the registration of the first case. At present, the total number of infected people in the country is about 34,000. About 89 percent of them have recovered, and 10 percent are still receiving treatment. To date, about 780,000 tests have been conducted.
According to Nazifa Mursalova, head of the Public Health and Sanitary-Epidemiological Surveillance Department of the Ministry of Health, most cases of coronavirus infection occur in Baku. Sumgayit, Ganja and Mingachevir, Absheron, Jalilabad, Salyan, Lankaran, Yevlakh and other cities are leading in terms of infection among the regions. The head of the department of the ministry said that the highest number of cases of COVID-19 was registered in Binagadi, Khatai, Sabunchu and Yasamal districts of Baku.
The ministry's representative also spoke about the special stations set up in outpatient clinics: "Medical staff working in 39 outpatient clinics in Baku have undergone special training. Sorting patients here on the basis of appeals from the Call Center No. 814. Asymptomatic patients are monitored for several days, and symptomatic patients are tested at home for laboratory testing and transported to the laboratories by vehicles provided by the Ministry of Health. A working group set up under the ministry to organize this work coordinates the work of field stations during the day and helps to solve problems. "
Mursalova also expressed her views on how Azerbaijan differs from other countries during the pandemic. He stressed the lack of public confidence in the disease at the beginning of the epidemic, noting that this factor is one of the main reasons for the spread of the disease in the country. At times when individual cases of infection were reported, citizens were asked to wear masks, maintain physical distance, observe personal hygiene, and refrain from gathering, but many ignored this. But over time, it became clear that this was wrong and that it was important to follow the rules.
Speaking about the special quarantine regime in the country, he said that the main purpose of quarantine is to get out of the coronavirus test with minimal losses. For this, it is important to break the chain of transmission of the disease. Therefore, it is necessary to isolate infected people and monitor those who come in contact with them during quarantine. It must be clearly understood that these decisions are made only in the interests of the people. The ministry representative also shared his views on the return to normal life after the lifting of the quarantine regime. According to him, the return to normal life should be divided into several stages. We must not forget that it is still necessary to keep a distance, follow the rules of personal hygiene, use protective equipment.
Referring to the use of beaches, Nazifa Mursalova said that the simultaneous use of the same seats, public toilets and dressing rooms in these areas increases the likelihood of infection. Therefore, social distance should be maintained, medical masks should be used and personal hygiene rules should be followed.
It was noted that since the first days of the fight against the virus, work has been done in the field of education in two areas: both the population and those working in the field of medicine. Also, since the first days of the announcement of the COVID-19 pandemic, various measures have been taken in close cooperation with international organizations. Health professionals continue to participate in various weekly pandemic management webinars at the invitation of international organizations. Thus, important meetings were held during the last visit of the expert group of the World Health Organization, which has visited Azerbaijan several times, and documents on epidemiological control and laboratory diagnostics were prepared.
"In recent weeks, there has been a positive trend in the dynamics of coronavirus infection, which is the result of the work done at the state level, the acceptance and observance of the requirements and rules by the population. These days, the number of calls to the Emergency and Urgent Medical Aid has decreased by 30 percent. "Once again, I call on citizens to demonstrate social responsibility and solidarity in the fight against COVID-19, to comply with the requirements and rules, to protect the health of themselves and their loved ones," Mursalova said.