PHNOM PENH, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's confirmed A/H1N1 flucases have increased to 17 and the latest case is a 22-year-old Irish woman who traveled from Vietnam, health officials said here on Sunday. "So far, nobody has died in the country," said Ly Sovan, deputydirector of the communicable disease control department. The latest person is in a stable condition and is recovering well. Mom Bun Heng, Cambodian health minister, told reporters that his ministry has strengthened the tracking system at two main airports, Phnom Penh International Airport and Siem Reap International Airport by using thermal scanners. "Our officials also have been observing the travelers coming into the country through border gates," he added. Earlier this week, Cambodian Health Ministry issued a call to appeal people notto travel to neighboring Thailand if they were not in urgent need. Cambodia's first case of influenza A/H1N1 was confirmed on June23, 2009. ************************* Shared by B.T. Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-07/26/content_11776454.htm |
Monday, July 27, 2009
Cambodia A/H1N1 flu case rises to 17
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Update on Swine influenza
Swine influenza - update 4
28 April 2009--The situation continues to evolve rapidly. As of 19:15 GMT, 28 April 2009, seven countries have officially reported cases of swine influenza A/H1N1 infection. The United States Government has reported 64 laboratory confirmed human cases, with no deaths. Mexico has reported 26 confirmed human cases of infection including seven deaths.
The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Canada (6), New Zealand (3), the United Kingdom (2), Israel (2) and Spain (2).
Further information on the situation will be available on the WHO website on a regular basis.
WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders. It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities.
There is also no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products. Individuals are advised to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness.
Related links
Swine influenza web siteDaily updates will be posted on this site.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Swine flu Q and A: What the CDC advises
Mercury News
Posted:
Updated:
A swine flu outbreak has infected more than a thousand people in
Q What is swine flu?
A Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses. Until recently, the disease very rarely spread to humans. In late March and early April 2009, cases of human infection with swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses were reported in Mexico and then in Southern California and near San Antonio, Texas. Since then, 40 confirmed cases have been reported in the
Q Is this swine flu virus contagious?
A CDC has determined that this swine flu virus is spreading from person to person, but it is unknown how easily it spreads.
Q What are the symptoms of swine flu in people?
A The symptoms of swine flu, which are similar to symptoms of regular flu, include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated
with swine flu. In the past, pneumonia and respiratory failure and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause chronic medical conditions to worsen.
Q How does swine flu spread?
A This swine flu virus is thought to spread mainly by coughing or sneezing of people with the illness. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Infected people may be able to infect others one day before symptoms develop and up to seven or more days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu germs before you know you're sick as well as while you're not feeling well.
Q What should I do to keep from getting the flu?
A Most important for preventing the spread of flu is washing your hands. Also, try to stay in good general health. That means get plenty of sleep, be physically active, drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious foods and manage your stress. Also, try to avoid contact with people who are sick.
Q What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu?
A
Q How long can viruses live outside the body?
A Some germs can live for two hours or longer on surfaces such as doorknobs, desks, cafeteria tables. Washing your hands frequently can reduce your chances of getting sick after touching these common surfaces.
Q How does a doctor test for swine flu?
A A health care provider takes a nasal swab, which is then used to test for the disease.
Q Are there medicines to treat swine flu?
A Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir (sold as Tamiflu) or zanamivir (sold as Relenza) for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these swine flu viruses. These antiviral drugs are prescription medicine that keep the flu viruses from reproducing in your body, thus helping you feel better quicker. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started within two days of symptoms first developing.
Q Is there a vaccine available to prevent swine flu?
A No. There is no available vaccine for this swine flu at this time.
Q What should I do if I get sick?
A If you live in an area where swine flu cases have been identified and become ill with symptoms including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact your doctor, who will determine whether you need to be tested or treated for the illness. While you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with people as much as possible.
Q Is it safe to travel to
A Government officials have issued a travel advisory suggesting "non-essential travel to
Q What are public health officials doing to inhibit the disease's spread?
A
Q Can I get swine flu from eating or preparing pork?
A No. You can not get swine flu from pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.
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Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Associated Press, Mercury News
Link: http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12238623?nclick_check=1
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Assessing the Danger of New Flu
Published:
The three come from different viruses and carry different kinds of danger, depending on ease of transmission and virulence. As a benchmark, the deadliest influenza pandemic in the past century, the Spanish influenza of 1918 to 1919, had an estimated mortality rate of around 2.5 percent but killed tens of millions of people because it spread so widely.
The new swine flu cases are caused by an influenza strain called H1N1, which appears to be easily passed from person to person. Mexican health authorities have confirmed 149 deaths from that flu and are investigating the illnesses of 1,600 people, and the
But doctors have little information yet on the mortality rate, as there is no reliable data on the total number of people infected. Reports from the
In contrast, the lethal avian flu that has kept world health authorities anxious for years is caused by H5N1 influenza virus. It has killed 257 of the 421 people who have contracted it, or 61 percent. But it has shown very little ability to pass from person to person, mainly infecting poultry, and some experts have suggested that there may be something about the H5N1 virus that makes it inherently less transmissible among people.
SARS — severe acute respiratory syndrome — is both easily spread and virulent. In the 2003 outbreak in
The lessons learned from SARS did not go to waste in
Contingency plans are ready to keep public transport, electricity, food supplies, telecommunications and other vital services running even if large numbers of people fall ill. And at a time when many hospitals in the United States are already at full capacity and keep few extra beds in reserve, Hong Kong has 1,400 beds in respiratory isolation units, mostly built over the past six years for fear that bird flu or SARS would become a serious problem, and 15 times as many beds as the territory needs on an everyday basis.
For a population of seven million people,
Government lawyers are also moving quickly, carrying out all the procedures on Monday to make swine flu a disease for which health professionals are required by law to notify the authorities of any suspected case. The
SARS “gave us a lot of valuable insights and practical experience in managing a large outbreak,” said Gabriel Matthew Leung,
Still, in a measure of the terror that SARS has left, the territory’s stock market suffered some of the heaviest losses in
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Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/health/28hong.html?hpw
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Cambodia on alert for swine flu
www.chinaview.cn 2009-04-28
Special Report: World Tackles Swine Flu
"We will equip scanners to target people who have temperature and breath problems related with the deadly swine flu," said Sok Touch, director of the Anti-communicable Disease Department of the ministry.
"We also observe all the people who once traveled to the infected areas of this outbreak," he added.
In addition, "we appeal to the people who catch (traditional) flu to go to hospital for diagnosis and treatment," he said.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry of Cambodia will use the existing equipment and system for combating bird flu to monitor swine flu, he said.
The ministry will cooperate with the World Health Organization to take actions on the pig-farming industry if necessary, but the very next step will focus on travelers from the infected areas, he said.
So far, there has been no sign of swine flu contamination on human and pigs in the kingdom, he added.
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Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/28/content_11271178.htm
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