Health Ministry monitoring pneumonic plague reports, Avanesyan addresses checks on arrivals in Armenia
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The Health Ministry’s operational working group is monitoring reports concerning pneumonic plague in Russia. As further information becomes available, the necessary measures will be introduced under established procedures, including enhanced checks and temperature screening for people arriving in Armenia.
Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan said this during a question-and-answer session with the government in the National Assembly, responding to a question from MP Arayik Harutyunyan.
Referring to concerning reports about the possible spread of pneumonic plague in Russia, Harutyunyan asked what steps the government was taking.
Avanesyan said that work had been organised from the moment the news first emerged, following procedures for reports and suspected cases of infectious diseases posing a public health threat.
“I must say that the operational working group is already actively monitoring what is being published and what information is already available,” the minister said.
She said the full range of tools needed to implement the necessary measures was ready. The ministry was also working with the World Health Organization and partners to obtain a comprehensive picture of the situation.
Avanesyan said pneumonic plague was a severe disease transmitted through respiratory droplets during close contact. She said the risk of death was high without timely treatment with appropriate antibiotics.
“We are very attentive and vigilant on this issue. We are carrying out all the work in a coordinated manner,” Avanesyan stressed.
The minister added that the operational working group was also monitoring Ebola outbreaks in some African countries. She emphasised the importance of implementing the necessary measures in this area as tourism and passenger transport expanded.