Ukraine’s health minister has announced a state of emergency after thirty-three people died from unknown flu virus in western Ukraine, near the Polish border.
Schools have been shut and people have been asked to avoid public places. The Polish-Ukrainian border has not been shut yet but Poland’s Health Minister Ewa Kopacz is considering closing border crossings if the virus turns out to be dangerous for Poles.
Almost one thousand people, mainly from the Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv Regions, infected with a virus have been hospitalized, including almost 500 children. Hundreds of people have been referred to medical centres and clinics with flu symptoms.
Preliminary tests have shown that eleven, out of thirty-three fatal victims, have died from swine flu.
“Unfortunately, we have to state that an an A/H1N1 flu epidemic has in fact started in Ukraine," said Kniazevych at a press conference. Ukraine’s Health Ministry is planning to impose quarantine in the whole country.
The news has caused a panic in Ukraine. People are buying up anti flu medicines, vaccines and masks. As Ukrainian chemist's' are running out of stock, some Ukrainians are going to Poland to get necessary medications. Ukrainian hospitals, which are being stormed by people, will probably have to ask medicine students for help. (mg)