“Enterovirus infection is transmitted through contaminated food, unwashed hands and various objects of the environment. Children aged 5 to 9 are mostly subject to this infection,” Niyazmatov said.

According to the deputy minister, so far no cases of diseases caused by dangerous enterovirus-71, observed recently in some Asian countries, have been registered in Uzbekistan.

At present, state sanitary epidemic control services are taking measures to prevent the infectious diseases. The main targets of this control are children’s, educational and medical institutions, public transport, crowded places, including markets, as well as food and trade companies.

Sanitary checkpoints work round the clock at the railway and bus stations, airports and border-crossing points. The doctors examine the health of citizens entering the country, the quality of foodstuffs and epidemiological safety of other products.

Control over observance of food safety requirements has been strengthened at children’s and medical establishments, including kindergartens, schools, and now summer camps. Sanitary doctors operate in direct contact with primary healthcare facilities – polyclinics and rural medical points, Bahtiyar Niyazmatov said.