The new FLiRT coronavirus strain has not been confirmed in the Kirovohrad region. Biological samples from all patients with coronavirus have been sent to the National Reference Laboratory for testing, and the results are now being awaited. This was announced during a briefing on August 14 by the chief sanitary doctor of the region, Nadia Operchuk, UNN reports with reference to Suspilne.
According to her, the symptoms of the new strain are the same as those of other COVID-19 strains.
Fever, general weakness, headache and muscle pain, runny nose, fever, cough. Most patients have a loss of taste and smell.
FLiRT is transmitted much faster, the doctor said. In general, there are ten strains of Omicron in Ukraine, and there is no question of introducing quarantine restrictions.
Since 2023, the coronavirus has been removed from the list of particularly dangerous infections and transferred to the group of acute respiratory viral infections. We usually record exceeding the epidemic threshold in early October.
To diagnose the coronavirus, doctors have quick tests - the results can be found out in 15 minutes, said Nadiya Operchuk.
In addition, doctors can perform PCR diagnostics: take a sample by swabbing the nose or throat and deliver it to a virology laboratory. The tests are free, and the results are reported in 3-4 hours.
In Kirovohrad region, the number of COVID-19 cases has been increasing rapidly over the past four weeks, the doctor said. The number of cases recorded during this period increased from six per week to 92.
Until mid-July, two to four cases were recorded in the region every week. In two weeks, three women died of coronavirus complications. Currently, the city of Kropyvnytskyi has the highest number of patients - 26, five of whom are children. There are 122 patients undergoing treatment, 14 of whom are children.
According to her, a sharp increase in the number of patients is being recorded throughout Ukraine. An increase in the number of cases is expected in late summer and fall.
In June, we registered two thousand patients, in July - almost 12 thousand.
The vaccines available in Ukraine are effective in developing immunity to all strains of the virus. The region has the American Comirnaty vaccine for children and adults, said Nadiya Operchuk.
Kirovohrad region has 60 doses of children's vaccine and 280 doses for adults. Today, August 14, another batch of vaccine will arrive.
To find out what level of antibodies against the coronavirus a person has, the doctor says, you need to take an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect immunoglobulin.