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Outbreaks March 2010 +

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  • #16
    Re: Outbreaks March 2010 +

    Swine flu outbreak hits parts of Accra

    The Greater Accra Health directorate has confirmed to Asempa News that the H1N1 influenza (swine flu) has spread to the neighbouring communities in and around Achimota in Accra.

    A reliable source at the Achimota Hospital disclosed to Asempa News that, the hospital is receiving cases from areas such as Israel, Ofankor, Kisseiman, Mile 7 and the Rev. John Teye Memorial Institute, all in the Greater Accra Region.

    The hospital authorities say the disease is spreading at a faster pace and most of the victims are school children.

    The Schedule Officer at the Greater Accra Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service Oxygen Wula says the Swine Flu is spreading fast among school children because children normally have friends from different schools and that, slight contact can be contagious.

    Mr Oxygen Wula tells ASEMPA NEWS that the H1N1 is now spreading to several areas. He therefore advised that people who have been confirmed to have been infected by the Swine Flu or have symptoms of the disease be isolated for at least 7 days before joining other people.

    The H1N1 influenza usually spreads in congested areas and Mr. Wula adds that any school that has the infection should let the children go home.

    Snippets of information also say some pupils at Burma Camp School, Holy Child at Taifa, another Holy Child School at Sakumono, and Solid Rock at Kisseiman among others. The Schedule Officer mentions more others.

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    • #17
      Re: Outbreaks March 2010 +

      Western Region records three H1N1 cases
      News Date: 8th April 2010


      The Western Regional Health Directorate has stepped up its public education on health related issues especially on the outbreak of the HINI influenza to create awareness among the people.

      Dr Kwaku Anin-Karikari, Western Regional Deputy Director of Health Services in charge of Public Health, told the GNA on telephone that for now

      the region has recorded three cases of H1N1.

      The three cases have been reported in Takoradi, Bibiani and Ahanta West.

      He said since the HINI influenza is air borne diseases, infected patients must abide by advice offered by health personal, cultivate the

      habit of covering their noses and mouths with handkerchief, wear masks and wash hands with soap.

      To prevent the spread of the disease, Dr Anin-Karikari called on those who experience the symptoms of the flu such as, fever, cough, catarrh and sore throat among others not to rush to health facilities but call health officials to the home for treatment.

      He said for those who would want to visit the hospitals, they should go straight to see a doctor without going to the Out Patients' Department.

      Dr Anin-Karikari said the spread of the pandemic could reduce if people adhered to the health advice saying that vaccines are not immediately available to vaccinate everybody in the country.

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      • #18
        Re: Outbreaks March 2010 +

        Accra, April 9, GNA - Ghana has so far recorded 513 cases of H1N1 influenza infections, and all the patients are alive and receiving treatment.



        Eighty per cent of prevalence was found in the educational institutions while all regions except Brong Ahafo, Upper East, Upper West and Volta Regions have confirmed cases.



        Dr. Benjamin Kumbuor, Minister of Health, disclosed this at a press briefing in Accra on Friday and gave the assurance that the situation was under control as government put in place measures to check its spread.

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        • #19
          Re: Outbreaks March 2010 +

          Ashanti records two cases of H1N1 Influenza
          April 12, 2010
          Kumasi, April 12, GNA - Two cases of the HINI Influenza had been reported in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Joseph Oduro, the Deputy Regional Director of Public Health, has announced.

          He told a news conference in Kumasi that both cases were recorded in April but would not go into details, except to assure the public that the situation was under control.

          They have adequate stock of "Tamislu capsules", which has proven to be efficacious in the treatment of the influenza, to deal with any spread.

          Ashanti Region recorded two cases of the flu in August, last year.

          The meeting with the press was to update the public on the current situation, guide them on the precautions they need to take and symptoms to look for.

          H1N1 Influenza is caused by a virus that affects the respiratory system, making it difficult for patients to breath.

          Its' symptoms include sore throat, cough, body aches, fever, headache, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhoea.

          Dr. Oduro said in the worst case scenario, patients may be afflicted with pneumonia and other health complications that could be deadly if not treated on time.

          To help contain the spread, they had intensified public education through community durbars and forums to help the people to become more alert.

          He counselled the people to wash their hands regularly with soap and keep away from those infected to avoid coming into contact with the Influenza droplets.

          They should also seek immediate treatment by reporting to the health facilities with any suspected case.
          GNA
          Twitter: @RonanKelly13
          The views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the views of my employer or any other person or organization.

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          • #20
            Re: Outbreaks March 2010 +

            Wednesday, April 14, 2010
            Health team to assess H1N1 situation
            A TEAM of public health officials is to visit the Central and Eastern regions to evaluate the H1N1 situation and support the health workers in those regions to contain the spread of the influenza.
            The team, which leaves Accra on Thursday, will be led by the Director of Public Health of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Joseph Amankwah, and will spend between four and five days visiting health facilities and interacting with both health workers and the public in the two regions.
            Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, Dr Amankwah said it was important that those two regions whose educational institutions had of late seen increase in cases of the disease were visited, assessed and the needed support provided before schools re-opened, adding that similar visits would be made to the other regions where the disease was present.
            After a number of schools in the Greater Accra Region have recorded cases of the influenza, cases were recorded at the Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast and a basic school at Ayipey in the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District, both in the Central Region.
            Some students of the Okuapemman and Mpraeso senior high schools in the Eastern Region were also infected.
            The H1N1 influenza, which spread form other parts of the world to Ghana in August 2009, has currently spread to six of the regions of the country. The Brong Ahafo, Upper East, Upper West and the Volta regions are the four areas where cases of the disease have not been reported.
            Throwing more light on the influenza, Dr Amankwah said the number of confirmed cases throughout the country stood at 600 as of Monday, April 12.
            He stated that the number was out of 5,000 specimen so far sent to the central laboratory at the Nogochi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) for confirmation.

            He observed that the number of confirmed cases notwithstanding, the situation could be described as "under control" because many of the infected persons had been successfully managed while the rest were receiving treatment.
            In a related development, the Director of the NMIMR, Dr Alex Nyarko, told the Daily Graphic that the centre was coping with the number of specimen brought there for testing.
            He said the only challenge that the personnel faced was to work overtime anytime large volumes of specimen were brought to be worked on.
            He said the needed materials such as reagents had so far been made available for effective laboratory work and pointed out that it was important for the centre, which is a World Health Organisation (WHO) accredited laboratory, to be allowed to handle all suspected cases from health facilities to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.
            Dr Nyarko said to avoid drug resistance in the country, all cases must be confirmed at the NMIMR to ensure that those who actually suffered from the H1N1 virus were given the WHO recommended medicine for the treatment.



            Ro's Comment: I'm concerned about the portion I highlighted in red, Tamiflu works best in that first 48 hours. Delays in confirmation could lead to deaths.
            Twitter: @RonanKelly13
            The views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the views of my employer or any other person or organization.

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