Medics predict new hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Russia region

[Snowy Owl]

Medics predict new hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Russia region
http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=11299320&PageNum=0
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LIPETSK, March 2 (Itar-Tass)

Epidemiologists prognosticate a new outbreak of hemorrhagic fever with the kidney syndrome in the Lipetsk region this spring, regional chief epidemiologist Lyudmial Kirillov told ITAR-TASS on Friday.

She said that it was related to the awakening of rodents that spread the disease.

By the beginning of March, 244 human cases of this dangerous disease have been registered in the Lipetsk region.

Twenty-seven people, including three children, have been hospitalised.

Most of hemorrhagic fever cases, 176, occurred inte Dorinsky district.
Specialists are of the opinion that the hemorrhagic fever outbreak in central Russia was caused by the unusually warm winter.

The causative virus dies in 30-degree frost.

The abundance of food on fields, which long remained uncovered by the snow, also helped an increase in the rodent population.

Tests have shown that every third field mouse carries the virus that can be transmitted to man by an aerial way.

However, even affected humans are not spreaders of infection.

The Lipetsk regional administration has allocated additional funds for a rodent extermination programme.