The Donetsk Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine held an online working meeting on the strategic assessment of possible biological threats – seasonal influenza, SARS, including confirmed COVID-19 tests.
Experts from the Donetsk Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health reported on the epidemic situation in the region and provided information on the situation with influenza, SARS, including confirmed COVID-19 tests, in the Donetsk region in previous years.
At the meeting, it was noted that during the epidemic season, COVID-19 incidence is included in the statistics of acute respiratory diseases, and the main symptoms of the diseases, mechanisms of transmission, methods of laboratory diagnosis and prevention, including vaccine prevention, were recalled.
External experts from the regional administration's health department emphasized the course of influenza and ARVI in patients, including those with a confirmed COVID-19 test, possible complications of these infectious diseases, noted the requirements for isolation of patients, and reported on the readiness of medical facilities in the region to receive, diagnose, and treat patients with influenza, SARS, in particular, with a confirmed COVID-19 test.
Experts from the regional administration's Department of Education and Science, who are actively involved in communication campaigns on the importance of preventing influenza and SARS, also took part in the online meeting.
Based on the results of the meeting, taking into account the current possibilities for response and mobilization of resources to minimize negative consequences, the level of risk of biological threats – seasonal influenza, SARS, including confirmed COVID-19 cases – was preliminarily determined to be “high.”
Risks can only be effectively reduced through the joint efforts of the regional center for disease control and prevention and other services. Informing people about the prevention of influenza and ARVI also plays an important role, with the involvement of medical professionals, educators, community representatives, and opinion leaders. They discussed the epidemic situation in the region and provided information on the situation with influenza and SARS, including confirmed COVID-19 cases, in the Donetsk region in previous years. At the meeting, it was noted that during the epidemic season, COVID-19 incidence is included in the statistics on acute respiratory diseases, and the main symptoms of the diseases, mechanisms of transmission, methods of laboratory diagnosis and prevention were recalled.