“The disease is asymptomatic in 70-80% of cases” – Anvar Alimov speaks about the need to break the disease chain 

“Countries that ignored quarantine measures, especially European states, lost 2-3 weeks in vain. Therefore, in the current situation, the return to quarantine is aimed at preventing the spread of the disease, and the people must understand this. Social facilities will be closed and restrictions may be tightened, but this is being done with public health in mind. The WHO noted the quarantine zones in Uzbekistan positively. But now the number of patients is more than we can afford,” he said.

According to Anvar Alimov, 5% of coronavirus patients in Uzbekistan have a severe stage of the disease.

“A week ago, the incidence rate in Uzbekistan was 25 people per 100,000. Within a week, that number has approached 35.

The global mortality rate is 5%, 12% – in Europe, 9% – in the United States, 1.5% – in Russia and 0.3% – in Uzbekistan.

The coronavirus mortality rate is 10 times higher than influenza. In 98% of cases of influenza and other ORVI, the disease is accompanied by external symptoms, while in 70-80% of cases, the coronavirus is asymptomatic. The disease is severe in 5% of cases in Uzbekistan,” he said.

At the AIMC briefing, it was noted that the burden on the medical system in Uzbekistan during the coronavirus pandemic makes it difficult to provide care to patients with other diseases.

“Medical expenses in Uzbekistan have exceeded 1 trillion soums. More than 1.2 million diagnostic tests were conducted. 12% of the total number of beds in existing hospitals in the country is allocated only for coronavirus patients. In particular, infectious diseases, multidisciplinary adult hospitals, multidisciplinary children's hospitals, district rehabilitation departments, specialized hospitals, including 4 endocrinology hospitals are accepting coronavirus patients.

Such an increase in the incidence of the disease can increase the burden on the medical system to such an extent that other areas of medicine – cardiology, oncology and others – are less focused.

If we introduce quarantine rules for 20 days throughout the country, we will break the disease chain by 95-98%. How about now? Every day we hear that this market is closed, that market is closed. But the chain is not broken. The market closes for 10 days, then runs for 1 week, the chain doesn’t break.

Life shows that allowing businesses to operate in accordance with quarantine rules does not ensure a break in the chain,” Alimov said.