Azerbaijan, Baku, 4 February / The number of hepatitis-infected people has increased in the bordering regions of the Azerbaijani Tovuz region, the head physician in the Tovuz Hygiene & Epidemiology Centre, Arifa Agayeva, said to Trend on 4 February. According to Agayeva, 60% of the Hepatitis A patients are residents of the bordering regions.
In 2006, the number of hepatitis-infected persons was 38, but in 2007 it totalled 60, six of them being pupils. According to Agayeva, the cause of the spread of the virus is due to poor living conditions, problems with the heating supply and dampness in the schools.
Tovuz is located 450km west of Baku.