The Flu Epidemic in Blagoevgrad

The beginning of the Spring 2025 semester in AUBG coincided with the increasing reach of the flu epidemic in many regions in Bulgaria, including Blagoevgrad. 

 

Official data from the National Centre for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases shows that 246 registered flu cases and acute respiratory diseases occurred during the week of 13.01-19.01. The rate of infections was 394.55 per 100,000 people, the highest for any region in Bulgaria for the week.

 

 

This was the reason why an epidemic situation was announced in the Blagoevgrad region starting on 22.01 and ending on 30.01. 

 

According to the World Health Organization, “A disease outbreak is the occurrence of cases of disease in excess of what would normally be expected in a defined community, geographical area or season”. Additionally, “Epidemic-prone diseases, including emerging and re-emerging diseases constitute the greatest threat to public health security and the disruption of social and economic developments of the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region”.

 

The Director of AUBG’s Health and Well-Being Center Dr. Ventsislav Daskalov said, “The epidemic will most probably not affect lectures in AUBG”. He added that there may be a discussion with the administration of the university about a temporary switch to online lectures only if the situation becomes worse.

 

Dr. Daskalov stated that there are “a little bit more students compared to previous episodes or last year at the same time,” who visit the Health and Well-Being Center displaying symptoms. 

 

The AUBG community has received an email containing information about the measures for ensuring the safety of everyone during the epidemic. The advice of AUBG’s Doctor is that everybody reads it and ensures they are aware of what they need to do.

 

Dr. Daskalov asked everybody to remember the measures utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic. These include: “social distancing, wearing face masks, personal hygiene which includes washing hands, avoiding crowded places, wearing a mask and washing hands if going to such a place, washing hands before eating anything and turning on air purifiers in the classrooms.”

 

Dr. Daskalov shared that the most common symptoms of flu include sudden chills, fever, headache, high temperature over 39 degrees Celsius, body aches, a mild sore throat with a dry cough, and a general feeling of weakness. He added that the “treatment of the flu is different from treating a regular virus and medicine is available with a doctor’s prescription“.