BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 24
By Klavdiya Romakayeva - Trend:
The spread of the delta strain of the coronavirus, also known as Indian or B.1.617, has been confirmed in Uzbekistan, Trend reports referring to the press service of the Ministry of Innovative Development of Uzbekistan.
According to deputy director of the Center for Advanced Technologies under the Ministry of Innovation Alisher Abdullayev, in the country earlier, in addition to the original COVID-19 strain - Wuhan-Hu-1, the British, or B.1.1.7, was also identified. The delta strain is currently considered the most rapidly spreading and dangerous.
According to the ministry, the delta strain was registered a few days ago. The number of cases of this strain of COVID-19 is growing.
Earlier, it was reported that in less than two weeks, the daily increase in detected cases of coronavirus in Uzbekistan more than doubled - from 199 to 427 cases per day. The Zangiata infectious diseases hospital reported an increase in the number of visits by two times and hospitalizations of patients by 1.5 times.
At a briefing at the Agency of Information and Mass Communications, a member of the headquarters for the fight against coronavirus Sevara Ubaydullaeva named the main reasons for the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks.
According to her, citizens of Uzbekistan have stopped wearing face masks and maintaining social distance, as during the lockdowns last year, they began to wash and clean their hands less thoroughly and participate in mass events.
“We have started to hold a lot of weddings, birthdays and entertainment events where large numbers of people can gather,” she said.
Ubaydullaeva added that these events are carried out with disregard of the previously established requirements for the number of participants, occupancy, body temperature check.
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @romakayeva