by admin on February 8, 2010
Via
Daily News Egypt:
Rate of swine flu cases declining, says health ministry. Excerpt:
The rate of swine flu cases reported nationwide has been declining and will continue to do so until April, said Abdel Rahman Shahin, spokesman of the Ministry of Health.
He added however that they are expecting a new wave in March.
The ministry announced that the number of swine flu cases in Egypt reached 15,971, while the death toll is now at 262, according to the latest swine flu report released on Sunday.
These include 5,581 cases among school students, 859 university students and 9,531 from outside educational institutions.
The highest number of swine flu cases was reported in the last week of December.
The number of recovered patients reached 15,667, which count for more than 97 percent of the total number. There are currently 42 patients receiving treatments in hospitals around the country, Shahin said.
Meanwhile, Avian Flu Diary passes along a report from Commonground at FluTrackers that a
97th Egyptian has contracted H5N1.
by admin on February 8, 2010
Via
The Standard:
Complacency the biggest enemy in swine flu battle. Excerpt:
Fears of a second or third wave of the human swine flu (H1N1) pandemic have prompted health chiefs to stockpile vaccines and warn against complacency.
At the Legislative Council panel on health services yesterday, Undersecretary for Food and Health Gabriel Leung said the anticipated winter peak for swine flu has yet to arrive, as the pandemic has upset the pattern.
He warned that the peaks of the swine flu outbreak would be different from those of seasonal flu and explained the cautious approach.
"At present, the situation is moderate, but the virus is ever-changing and there may be a second or even third wave of the swine flu pandemic.
"We cannot afford to be complacent," he said.
Lawmakers Audrey Eu Yuet-mee and Gary Chan Hak-kan expressed concern about an oversupply of jabs since Leung had said the vaccines will not be sold or given away, nor will the scope of the subsidized jabs scheme for high- risk groups be extended.
In reply, Leung said there must be enough supply of the swine flu vaccine just in case.
Of the three million doses the government has bought, 160,000 have been administered so far - an average of around 2,000 doses a day since the scheme was implemented.
