A Minsk-based teacher working at gymnasium school Nr 5 has contracted the novel coronavirus. The students who were in contact with him are being tested.
“The school called the parents of the children who were taught by this teacher and told that everyone [students and their parents] should isolate themselves. If parents are not ready to do so, their kids will be placed under quarantine,” a schooler’s mother told TUT.BY.
On Monday, Yuliya Baradun, the press secretary of the Health Ministry, has confirmed the information.
“In accordance with the order of the Ministry of Health, those who contacted a coronavirus patient have to be hospitalised or isolated. Due to the fact that children cannot stay self-isolated without adult supervision, we recommended the self-isolation of children under the control of their parents at home,” she said.
As of March 27, the number of coronavirus infection cases totalled to 94 in Belarus.
As reported earlier, the Council of Ministers is taking measures to prevent and spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Belarus. In particular, the government bound the arrivals from abroad to self-isolate for 14 days. At the same time, the Health Ministry is still refraining from recommendations to impose quarantine measures on educational institutions due to ‘inexpedience’.
On March 16, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka shared with the newly appointed officials his own ways of fighting infections, including the novel coronavirus. He advised going to a dry sauna, claiming that the virus dies at 60 degrees; more frequent handwashing, regular diet, and… drinking some vodka are also on his list. Later, he called the situation ‘psychosis and foolishness’.
