On 7 August the Avesta news agency posted an article titled “Hemorrhagic fever came to Tajikistan from Russia”.

Referring to unofficial sources, the authors stated that the number of human casualties from hemorrhagic fever in the city of Tursunzade has reached 24, and among the victims is the chief infection doctor Askar Umarov. Avesta also informed readers on its web site that the village of Ziyoratut is blocked by law enforcement units, and neighboring areas are closed for quarantine. The article also said that the source of extremely contagious infection was the dead body of a Tajik labor migrant that arrived from Russia.

Here is the comment of deputy Minister of Health Azamjon Mirzoev:
“I have to say that the data in the publication is far from reality. The number of people who died from the disease is 3, not 24. Although, it’s a tragedy. Yes, among the people who died was a doctor from the city infection hospital. He died helping hospitalized patients”.

The entrance to Ziyoratut village was not blocked either, and nobody introduced any quarantine. There are no grounds for allegations that the disease came from Russia.

The Tajik Ministry of Health applied to the media with a request to refer to official and competent sources of information, and restrain from provoking panic among the population.

http://www.khovar.tj/