Ara Asoyan, chief epidemiologist of the Republic of Armenia, says that this year the number of acute respiratory diseases is decreasing.

“No doctor can give exact numbers, as not all patients are registered. The real and registered number of patients are very different. We can only present the average comparison of those numbers. If compared with previous years, the picture of the illness is 2-3 times less this year, ” says Ara Asoyan.

This image the epidemiologist connects with a relatively warm winter. He also notes that the flu usually comes from Russia.

“After we hear that there is a flu, then in two or three weeks there is the same picture in Armenia. Acute respiratory illnesses in the regions are less common, as these diseases usually occur in densely populated cities, ” says the epidemiologist.

“Acute respiratory diseases are the most common in schools and since vacations are already coming, there will be no acute outbreaks in the next 2-3 weeks,” says Ara Asoyan.

Ara Asoyan adds that the Ministry of Health has brought a significant amount of vaccine against the flu and all the health care workers are vaccinated. Other Armenian citizens may also voluntarily be vaccinated against the flu.