UzA news agency
November 19

Specialists' prognosis is that the outbreak of acute respiratory disease and flu will peak in Uzbekistan in January-February 2003, the Uzbek national news agency UzA reported on 19 November. The head of the state public health and epidemiology department of the Ministry of Health, Nurmat Atabekov, told the agency that the country was prepared for the possible epidemic.

"Over 50,000 flu vaccines have been supplied under a government programme. Vaccinations will be primarily given to high-risk groups, such as people who are in constant contact with other people at work," he said.

The newspaper said that a national headquarters for preventing the flu epidemic had been set up at the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan.

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