Cabinet takes part in Pandora 2006 crisis regulation training

According to the scenario of the training exercises the world is caught in a situation where a new form of human influenza, H5N8, transmissible from person to person, is spreading throughout central and eastern Asia. The countries in the affected region, in cooperation with the World Health Organisation, have implemented anti-epidemic measures to stop the new strain of influenza, but the virus is spreading to other countries, including Europe. The European Union is concerned about the spread of the new human flu and adopts coordinated measures to stop the epidemic, increasing influenza monitoring and laboratory checks and detailing the available anti-viral stocks.

According to the scenario the World Health Organisation has declared the sixth stage of the flu pandemic, which means that the illness has infiltrated virtually every European country. The flu virus is constantly and intensively spreading among citizens. According to the World Health Organisation's forecasts the flu pandemic will last 8 weeks, during which approximately 25% of the population and 30% of medical staff will be infected.

Today, 5 October, the Minister of Social Affairs took part in the scenario by providing members of the cabinet with an overview of a situation in which the flu pandemic has lasted for four weeks in Estonia. In order to cover the costs arising from the emergency situation the Minister of Social Affairs submitted an application for the appropriation of 153,651,400 kroons from the Government of the Republic's reserve.