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Minister: Number one goal is to prevent a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases

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MINSK, 9 April (BelTA) – The number one goal for Belarusian health workers is to prevent a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases, Healthcare Minister Vladimir Karanik said in the parliament on 9 April, BelTA has learned.

“Today our priority is to do our best to isolate all the infected patients, do a lot of tests, isolate contacts in order to prevent a sharp increase in the coronavirus cases and an overload of the healthcare system,” said Vladimir Karanik.

According to the statistics, in his words, some 80-85% of patients show only mild symptoms, which does not require any medical care. “About 14% more need medical care in the form of pharmacological treatment or respiratory support. 5% need treatment in the intensive care and resuscitation departments. The main task is to ensure that those 14 to 20% people, who need such assistance, receive it,” the minister said.

Vladimir Karanik stressed that the most severe conditions are observed in patients with co-morbidity. “These are primarily hypertensive disease, metabolic disorders, diabetes, excess body weight plus obstructive pulmonary diseases or other problems of the cardiovascular system, and age over 70 years. Thus, our task is to ensure social distancing, to protect those people who are most vulnerable, to provide adequate medical care to those who are sick, and to continue working on isolating contacts and cutting off the virus spreading chains to prevent a sharp increase in cases,” he added.

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