The number of districts in Bulgaria subject to flu epidemic has risen to six

Six districts (out of a total of 28) in the country are now in a flu epidemic. The latest two districts which introduce measures as of today are Plovdiv and Blagoevgrad, with Varna joining them from tomorrow.

General practitioners (GPs) believe that suspending consultations for women and children will not reduce the number of sick people in the city. They insist that students should not attend classes during a flu epidemic.

"The main problem is the contact between children and working adults," said Alexander Kalaidzhiev, a general practitioner.

According to GPs, the "green corridors" introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic prevent the mixing of sick and healthy patients in front of doctors' offices.

Plovdiv and Blagoevgrad are now officially in a flu epidemic.

"The green corridors do not disrupt the routine of preventive check-ups or vaccination coverage," explained Dr. Tanya Dipchikova, a general practitioner.

The Regional Health Inspectorate explained that the situation is being monitored daily, and the possibility of remote learning for students is already being discussed.

Flu epidemic will be declared in Varna district starting January 23

Also, GPs are facing financial losses due to the suspension of preventive check-ups. At the same time, their workload has drastically increased due to the large number of flu patients.

"GPs are paid for performing preventive and dispensary check-ups. We don’t get paid for patient examinations. In fact, we will be working more but for less money," explained Dr. Alexander Kalaidzhiev.

Currently, the highest number of individuals with flu is among children under 14 years old.