No case of new-type Coronavirus recorded in Moldova, situation under supervision

Chişinău, 24 January /MOLDPRES/ - Some media information on the new-type Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Moldova’s context represents falsehoods and trigger panic. No case of infection has been recorded in Moldova and the authorities supervise the situation, by observing all instructions of the international and national specialty regulations. The acting director of the National Public Health Agency (ANSP), Nicolae Furtuna, made statements to this effect at a news conference today.    

„The updated official data from 23 January show that 614 cases of infection with the new-type Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) are registered and confirmed in the world. Most cases (601) are from China, where the hotbed’s epicenter is. At present, the World Health Organization (WHO) has not declared emergency situation of international interest; yet, the institution’s experts will return to the subject, depending on the evolution of the things,” Furtuna stressed.      

At the same time, the ANSP head said that “Moldova and the countries of the region do not proceed from a clean page as to the emerged situation.” “Yes, this is a new type of coronavirus; yet, these are just cases of disease, which have not been recorded so far. Being a viroses having at its basis the airborne mechanism, I draw attention that in Moldova we have a routine supervision mechanism as to the influenza, acute respiratory viroses, including the severe ones. The state of things is monitored weekly, through the guard points placed in various regions of the country. We are not in an information void and the competent authorities undertake all measures to prevent the spread of the infection,” Nicolae Furtuna said.    

Presently, the Health, Labour and Social Protection Ministry (MSMPS), through the National Public Health Agency and the medial and sanitary institutions, ensure the routine monitoring, at the national level, and in guard points, of the epidemiological situation through flu, acute infections of the upper respiratory ways and severe acute respiratory infections.   

At the same time, the National Public Health Agency ensure the daily monitoring of the epidemiological situation internationally as to the infection with the new-type Coronavirus, communication and the exchange of information with WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Decision-makers daily elaborate informative notes on the epidemiological situation in Moldova and the current risks regional and globally, international organizations’ recommendations, with informing MSMPS and health system institutions and if needed – the competent authorities of the border crossing points. According to the ANSP leadership, ”at present, no restrictions are imposed on international travels.”    

The coronaviruses (CoV) represent a numerous family of viruses which cause diseases, from common cold to severer diseases, such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS - CoV) and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). The new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a new stem, which has not been earlier identified in man. The coronaviruses are zoonotic infections, which means that they can be transmitted between animals and people.    

The symptoms of new coronavirus are, in more cases, similar to a cold; yet, they may be accompanied by tiredness, dry cough and dyspnoea (difficulty in breathing).