What Explains the Rise of Infectious Diseases in Armenia

The increase in the number of individuals infected with infectious diseases in Armenia does not pose a dangerous nature and is attributed to the dry weather characteristic of global warming. This opinion was expressed by Gennady Onishchenko, an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Deputy President of the Russian Academy of Education, during an online bridge connecting Moscow, Astana, Minsk, and Tashkent, while responding to a question from Sputnik Armenia.

“Overall, the rise in infectious diseases can be explained by this year's atypical hot climate; this has also played a role. As for the situation in August, there is always an increase in cases of intestinal infections transmitted in this manner during the fruit and vegetable season in August and September. Especially since during this period, we prefer to consume fruits and vegetables raw,” believes Onishchenko.

In his opinion, now, with the start of the school year, the most pressing issue is the increase in acute respiratory disease cases among children. The director of the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Stepan Atoyan, had previously reported that an increase in infections from infectious diseases has been recorded in Armenia compared to last year. Specifically, there has been a significant rise in cases of measles and whooping cough. Moreover, there are many cases of acute respiratory infections. Atoyan noted that there are also cases of diphtheria.