WHO: Azerbaijan steps up efforts against coronavirus

By Trend

The World Health Organization (WHO) mission in Azerbaijan has stated and welcomes the fact that Azerbaijan has stepped up its efforts against coronavirus (COVID-19), Trend reports.

In order to study the situation, a WHO expert group of five members visited Azerbaijan on March 9-13. WHO experts noted that coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Azerbaijan.

WHO is currently working with the national authorities to develop a response plan for the COVID-19 epidemic.

The WHO group is working to control and ensure the necessary health care services and its sustainability, to control the national test laboratories, the readiness of hospitals, prevention of infections, provision with necessary medicines, diagnostics and the necessary equipment, as well as sharing information and advising on measures recommended to minimize health risks.

WHO on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

Azerbaijan remains one of the countries, least affected by the rapidly spreading coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The country's official structures are applying necessary measures to prevent any possible exposure of coronavirus. Azerbaijan has also imported necessary medical equipment to carry out coronavirus tests.

Azerbaijan's official structures have also set up quarantine centers in the country's districts, which would allow to react faster to the possible outbreak due to joint borders. Azerbaijan shares border with Iran, where coronavirus is currently spreading rapidly.

As a contribution to international efforts to prevent the risk of the spread of coronavirus infection, Azerbaijan's government provided voluntary financial assistance worth $5 million to the COVID-19 Fund as part of the WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP). On March 7 World Health Organization officially thanked Azerbaijan for its financial contribution to the global COVID-19 response.