Minsk, Nov 04, 2009 (BBC Monitoring via COMTEX) -- Belarusian Health Minister Vasil Zharko has called on people not to panic over the ongoing outbreak of flu, saying that the situation is tough but controllable.

"We record between 12,000 and 15,000 cases of flu and other acute respiratory diseases at health institutions every day, while during a flu epidemic, the numbers reach 30,000, which means that there is a decrease," the minister said in a televised address on Wednesday.

Zharko said that "certain media and the behaviour of certain people" had sparked a rush for medications and panic.

"Frankly speaking, we were not ready for this situation," the minister noted. "Although we were preparing for the seasonal flu epidemic starting this April when we drew up a comprehensive plan and are now following its every item."

He said that the ministry and state pharmaceutical conglomerate Belfarmatsyya are taking every effort to supply pharmacies with a sufficient amount of antiviral medications.

"Both the health ministry and Belfarmatsyya do not understand why people are sweeping everything stored at warehouses of our drugstores," Zharko stressed.

[The Health Ministry asked pharmacies to work round the clock and at weekends, Belapan said in another report later that day. In an open letter distributed to pharmacies on Wednesday, the ministry says that it recommends switching to the new schedule by November 5. The ministry also asks pharmacies to "take exhaustive measures to ensure a steady supply" of immune-boost drugs, antiviral medications and face masks. Belapan news agency, Minsk, in English, 1151 gmt 4 Nov 09]

Source: Belapan news agency, Minsk, in English 1116 gmt 4 Nov 09

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KEYWORD: BELARUS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HEALTH