Activity of acute respiratory infections continues in Armenia: What are the figures?
The activity associated with acute respiratory infections (ARIs) continues in Armenia. This was announced during a press conference by Aida Hovhannisyan, Head of the Statistics and Analysis Division of the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDCP) of the RA Ministry of Health.
According to her information, during the 50th week of the year, which falls within November, more than 15,000 people were infected with acute respiratory illnesses. This figure has increased by 1.2 times compared to the beginning of the month. Around 80 percent of the cases are among children aged 0–18. The highest indicators were recorded in the provinces of Armavir, Shirak, Ararat, and in Yerevan.
According to Hovhannisyan, the currently circulating pathogens in the Republic are the Influenza A subtype H3N2, Bocavirus, and Rhinovirus. The specialist noted that these pathogens are seasonal and typical for this time period.
The main symptoms of the illness include general weakness, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and, in some cases, elevated temperature. In the case of influenza (flu), the onset of the illness can be more acute and accompanied by high and difficult-to-manage fever, as well as cold-like symptoms. At the same time, it is emphasized that the risk of developing pneumonia is higher in cases of influenza.
Due to pneumonia, 937 patients sought primary healthcare organizations during the 50th week, which is an increase of 1.3 times compared to the previous week. The age group 0–18 is considered high-risk, and the overwhelming majority of those seeking help are children aged 0–14.
It was also noted that 1,055 hospitalizations were registered during the same period, which is an increase of 1.1 times compared to the previous week. Children account for 91.7 percent of those hospitalized.