KHUJAND, January 26, 2009, Asia-Plus — An increase in the number of cardiovascular diseases was reported in northern Tajikistan in mid-January.
Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Azimjon Sodiqov, deputy head physician of the Sughd Cardiology Center, said that 192 residents of the province applied to the center during the period from January 15 to January 20 and 159 of them had been hospitalized with heart attacks stenocardia.
Specialists said that it could not be ruled out that increase in the number cardiovascular diseases had resulted from cold weather and the ‘devastating earthquake’ rumor.
We will recall that the quake rumor led tens of thousands of Tajiks in four major cities to spend the night on the streets in freezing temperatures because of reports of an imminent earthquake. The rumor that a very strong and destructive earthquake would happen overnight on January 10-11 spread in the cities of Khujand, Kulob, Qurghon Teppa, and Dushanbe. People panicked and tens of thousands spent the night sleeping outside in tents, makeshift shelters and cars.
“During 2008, 13,100 people applied to the center 2008, and half of them was hospitalized: 306 persons were diagnosed with heart attack and 2,156 others were diagnosed with stenocardia,” said Sodiqov, “68 residents of Sughd died last year of various cardiovascular diseases; 38 of them died of heart attack.”
