Expert warns of risks of rising morbidity for state and population

"Today, the rising morbidity in the country poses a threat to the state, the population, and health workers since medical facilities will be unindated and there will be delays in preventive measures. Therefore, everyone should join the mass vaccination process," Gunel Sadigova, a pulmonologist at the Pulmonology and Allergology Department of the Azerbaijan Medical University's Teaching Therapeutic Clinic, told Report.

The expert noted that coronavirus incidence and related deaths have recently increased in Azerbaijan: "Whereas two weeks ago the number of daily infections was 272 in the country, today this figure exceeds 1,000. Negligence and non-compliance with safety rules among people lead to an increase in morbidity. People think that if there are no restrictions, then the virus has disappeared. People even kiss when they meet each other. We should not forget that the pandemic is not over, and the virus duplicates all over the world. The faster spread of the new Delta strain in neighboring countries and its existence in our country could should be a serious signal since Delta is more contagious."

Sadigova said citizens contract a new strain while traveling amid the season of vacations: "Therefore, our citizens should be especially careful about protective measures during travel.

"Our observations suggest that today 90-95% of coronavirus patients treated in intensive care units are not vaccinated. Although the vaccine does not completely prevent the infection, it significantly reduces the risk of complications and deaths. If we speed up the mass vaccination, we can overcome the virus without restrictions."

Notably, there are 11,737 active coronavirus patients in the country. To date, 351,825 people have been infected with COVID-19 in Azerbaijan, while 33,025 people have recovered. The death toll from the disease has reached 5,063 people. So far, 5,418,243 doses of vaccine have been administered to citizens.