Sri Lanka - Mysterious illness closes Mulleriyawa ward - H1N1 confirmed

[Pathfinder]

Mysterious illness closes Mulleriyawa ward

Tuesday, 05 June 2012 03:17

Employees and in-house patients of a ward at the Mulleriyawa National Institute of Mental Health have fallen ill mysteriously, forcing the authorities to close down the ward from yesterday, hospital sources said.

They said those who had fallen ill complained of respiratory problems.
It is also learnt that a female staff member who worked at this ward number nine, had died two weeks ago and doctors had confirmed death was due to a heart problem...

http://www.dailymirror.lk/news/19161-mysterious-illness-closes-mulleriyawa-ward.html

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Re: Sri Lanka - Mysterious illness closes Mulleriyawa ward

http://www.lankatruth.com/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2501:section-of-mulleriyawa-hospital-closed-&catid=42:smartphones&Itemid=74

Section of Mulleriyawa Hospital closed Tuesday, 05 June 2012 07:46

A part of the Mental Hospital at Mulleriyawa has been closed down from yesterday (4th) due to a mysterious illness. Several employees and in-house patients of a ward have fallen ill complaining of breathing problems.

It is stated that a female staff member who worked at the section of the hospital died two weeks ago due to a heart attack and another nurse who works at the same section is in a critical condition.

[Ronan Kelly]

Suspected Swine flu kills one

Suspected Swine flu kills one
THURSDAY, 07 JUNE 2012 15:19
One employee died and another two are being treated at the Mental Health Institute (MHI) of Angoda after complaining for a respiratory blockade from a suspected viral attack similar to that of H1N1, widely known as swine flu, a ministry spokesman said.

Ministry spokesman Dharma Wanninayaka said the three employees at the MHI had reportedly fallen ill with respiratory problems and tests conducted by the Medical Research Institute (MRI) and Government Epidemiology Unit (GEU) had revealed that the virus belongs to the H1N1 2009 family that devastated the US, Canada, Europe and East Asia with Pandemic Influenza or Swine flu, killing thousands.
...

http://www.dailymirror.lk/news/19250-suspected-swine-flu-kills-one.html

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Re: Suspected Swine flu kills one

Is this the same outbreak as:

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=187768 ?

It is an undiagnosed respiratory outbreak in a mental hospital in Sri Lanka, with one HCW fatality, but the location is reported as Angoda here, not Mulleriyawa.

I will merge the threads if we can get confirmation that the outbreaks are the same.

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Re: Suspected Swine flu kills one

Google Maps for "Mulleriyawa Hospital, Kotikawatta, Western Province, Sri Lanka" gives an "Angoda" within 1 km of the location, confirming to me that it is the same outbreak. I am merging the threads.

[tetano]

Re: Sri Lanka - Mysterious illness closes Mulleriyawa ward - H1N1 confirmed

Respiratory disease identified as Influenza A (H1N1 pdm)

The respiratory disease which affected some staff members at the Angoda National Institute of Mental Health has been identified as Influenza A (H1N1 pdm) following investigations carried out by the MRI, the Health Ministry said in a release yesterday.

This is a seasonal influenza caused by a virus similar to that which caused a global epidemic in 2009 and 2010, the ministry said.

The normal symptoms of the disease are fever and cold. But it could lead to pneumonia if proper care is not taken, the ministry said.

The ministry has provided advise to control the disease to all hospitals including the Angoda Mental Health Institute. The Health Supplies Division has adequate stocks of drugs to treat the disease and the MRI has facilities to conduct medical tests, the release said.

http://www.dailynews.lk/2012/06/08/news21.asp

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Sri Lanka - Mysterious illness closes Mulleriyawa ward - H1N1 confirmed

TWO CASES OF SWINE FLU DETECTED AT THE ANGODA MENTAL INSTITUTEJune 7, 2012 09:37 am
Two employees of Ward 09 at the Angoda National Institute of Mental Health have been diagnosed with the influenza AH1N1 virus also known as swine flu.

The ward was closed temporarily a few days back when a group of workers were suddenly stricken with illness.
...

http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=18349

[tetano]

Re: Sri Lanka - Mysterious illness closes Mulleriyawa ward - H1N1 confirmed

Hospital ward in Sri Lanka evacuated after 4 staffers infected with swine flu


COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Sri Lankan health officials have evacuated a ward at a government-run hospital near the capital after four staffers were infected with swine flu.

Dr. Jayan Mendis, director of the Mental Health Institute in Angoda, near Colombo, says tests have confirmed that four staff members there were infected with the H1N1 virus. He says they are being treated and that their condition is improving.

Mendis says 40 patients were transferred from the ward, which was then shut down.

Health Ministry spokesman Dharma Wanninayake says no patients have been infected.

http://www.globalnews.ca/hospital+ward+in+sri+lanka+evacuated+after+4+staffers+infected+with+swine+flu/6442656924/story.html

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Re: Sri Lanka - Mysterious illness closes Mulleriyawa ward - H1N1 confirmed

http://www.ceylontoday.lk/16-7620-news-detail-four-nurses-diagnosed-with-swine-flu.html?

Four nurses diagnosed with Swine flu
Date:2012-06-08 17:04:00

By Jayashika Padmasiri

Four Nurses at the Angoda National Institute of Mental Health were diagnosed with the influenza AH1N1virus, also known as Swine flu.

Director of the Angoda Mental Hospital Dr. Jayan Mendis speaking to Ceylon Today said that none of the patients are suffering from Swine flu at the hospital and that instead four nurses were diagnosed with the AH1N1 virus.

?One patient died at the hospital due to a heart attack and the media misinterpreted the cause of this death as Swine flu, which is not correct. No patients are suffering from Swine flu at the Angoda hospital. Nevertheless, four nurses were diagnosed with Swine flu and currently are receiving treatment,? he said.

Speaking further, Dr. Jayan Mendis said that chances are likely that these four nurses must have contracted the virus from some other place other than the Angoda Hospital.

Speaking about the nature of the AH1N1 virus, Dr. Mendis said that it is curable, and that the virus would only become deadly if the patients neglect getting treatment.