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08/24/2009
Two more deaths from H1N1
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) announced two new fatalities from the H1N1 flu. This raises the death count from the disease to 5.
The two new deaths were one 6-year-old boy and a 44-year-old woman. The boy died after more than a month in the hospital. But the woman died a week after falling ill.
The rapid progression of her illness despite the administration of anti-viral medication raises fears that she might have a strain of H1N1 that has developed some resistance to the medication. CDC Director Steve Kuo explains.
"This is why we have to have a special investigation of this death," said Kuo, "we need to retrace the steps that lead up to the fatality to figure out whether the drug was given too slowly or whether the virus was able to resist the medication."
Kuo said severe H1N1 cases has increased to 43 with 5 fatalities. Five of them are in intensive care. Around the world, almost 1,800 people have died from swine flu as of the 24th. America suffered the most deaths, with 477 deaths, followed Argentina with 404 deaths. In Asia, Thailand has suffered the most serious losses, with 111 deaths.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) has advised schools to measure the temperatures of returning students and for teachers to watch out for flu symptoms. The spread of H1N1 will also affect Morakot disaster relief efforts. All volunteers and military relief workers now have to wear facemasks. CDC official says H1N1 disproportionately affects younger people, and most of the volunteers are young.
Thirteen members of the military involved in disaster relief efforts have fallen ill from H1N1 according to early testing results. There has been reports of residents in Pingtung’s Wandan (??) county coming down with flu-like symptoms, including running fevers. Kuo said the CDC’s investigations have ruled out H1N1 but the true cause of the illnesses remains unclear.
In response to the continuing H1N1 situation, the premier, Liu Chao-shiuan has taken the advice of experts and made the retroviral medication Tamiflu available to all patients suffering from influenza complications, whether or not tests show they have H1N1. The cost of the drugs will come out of the general budget rather than National Health Insurance funds.
Two more deaths from H1N1
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) announced two new fatalities from the H1N1 flu. This raises the death count from the disease to 5.
The two new deaths were one 6-year-old boy and a 44-year-old woman. The boy died after more than a month in the hospital. But the woman died a week after falling ill.
The rapid progression of her illness despite the administration of anti-viral medication raises fears that she might have a strain of H1N1 that has developed some resistance to the medication. CDC Director Steve Kuo explains.
"This is why we have to have a special investigation of this death," said Kuo, "we need to retrace the steps that lead up to the fatality to figure out whether the drug was given too slowly or whether the virus was able to resist the medication."
Kuo said severe H1N1 cases has increased to 43 with 5 fatalities. Five of them are in intensive care. Around the world, almost 1,800 people have died from swine flu as of the 24th. America suffered the most deaths, with 477 deaths, followed Argentina with 404 deaths. In Asia, Thailand has suffered the most serious losses, with 111 deaths.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) has advised schools to measure the temperatures of returning students and for teachers to watch out for flu symptoms. The spread of H1N1 will also affect Morakot disaster relief efforts. All volunteers and military relief workers now have to wear facemasks. CDC official says H1N1 disproportionately affects younger people, and most of the volunteers are young.
Thirteen members of the military involved in disaster relief efforts have fallen ill from H1N1 according to early testing results. There has been reports of residents in Pingtung’s Wandan (??) county coming down with flu-like symptoms, including running fevers. Kuo said the CDC’s investigations have ruled out H1N1 but the true cause of the illnesses remains unclear.
In response to the continuing H1N1 situation, the premier, Liu Chao-shiuan has taken the advice of experts and made the retroviral medication Tamiflu available to all patients suffering from influenza complications, whether or not tests show they have H1N1. The cost of the drugs will come out of the general budget rather than National Health Insurance funds.
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