Governor Dmitry Dmitriyenko has signed a decree stating that the number of flu infections in the region has exceeded the epidemic level, the regional government’s web pages read.
Murmansk is one of the first regions in Russia to declare the situation as epidemic. So far, only the Perm region in the Urals is known to have done the same.
The number of people infected with swine flu in Murmansk is now 55, B-port.com reports. 46 of the infected are children.
The authorities recommend that all larger cultural and sport events should be limited. In the Norwegian border town Kirkenes, international competitions in both swimming and soccer already have been affected by Russian limitations on foreign travel for children.
Teachers and pupils are requested to wear masks at school. As BarentsObserver reported, a school in Murmashi outside Murmansk became the first in Russia to be closed because of confirmed or probable cases of swine flu.
Norwegian health authorities have recommended that everyone should be vaccinated against the swine flu. In Kirkenes, mass vaccination of the population has started. The first 500 received the vaccine this week, while another 1000 are awaiting their jabs next week.
