DUSHANBE, 28.01.2020. (NIAT Khovar) – The growing number of deaths from the coronavirus in China has prompted numerous reports on social media networks claiming that such instances have also been registered in Tajikistan but remain unreported.

The Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population denies the validity of such claims, and those that claim that there was a death on the board of Somon Air plane due to this disease or that one other person has been hospitalized in the Mansurov clinical hospital.

The Director of the Tajik Gastroenterology Institute Saodat Azimova said that so far no one has been diagnosed with coronavirus. She categorically denies rumors that one person was hospitalized at the Institute because of this disease.

“Regarding the information that appeared on the website of www.ittiloot.com regarding the alleged fatalities aboard a Somon Air flight en route from China to Tajikistan, the airline states that this information is not true,” notes Chief of Somon Air Press Center Temur Bandishoev.

“The airline tried to contact the site’s editors, however, the site did not provide a contact number and address where the editorial office is located. An email was sent to the editorial office with a request to remove the fake information. But these attempts were in vain. In this regard, the airline is forced to give a rebuttal through other media and asks passengers not to trust information published on dubious sites,” Bandishoev added.

The Ministry in collaboration with the relevant structures has taken all necessary measures to detect and prevent the spread of coronavirus, and, fortunately, so far, no cases of infection have been registered in Tajikistan.

The Ministry recommends that those concerned call the Ministry’s Press Center at 446006002 with their questions.