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Syed Shah on being the first case of influenza A/H1N1 in the United Arab Emirates
20 Aug, 09 | by julietwalker
I had the honor of being the first case reported officially from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It was 3 am on Sunday, 17th May when I arrived at Dubai Airport, via Calgary and Heathrow, after spending a week with my family in Saskatoon, Canada.
Later that day I returned to my department at the university where several colleagues passed by my office to welcome me back. That night l developed a sore throat, high fever, and cough. At 8 am the following day, feeling lethargic and generally unwell and fearing the worst, I went to the emergency department of our local hospital and presented myself to the on-duty infectious diseases consultant.
As a public health physician, I had taken stock of the situation before my travel to Canada on 8th May. At that time, the World Health Organization was not recommending restrictions on travel, although some individual national authorities were advising against non-essential travel. The advice on the various websites seemed very pragmatic: observe basic hygiene, hand-washing and cough etiquette; do not travel when ill and seek medical advice if becoming ill after returning.
My route took me through London (34 cases reported in the UK at that time) and Toronto (61 cases in Ontario) to Saskatoon (2 cases). By the time I was due to return to UAE via Calgary, cases in Canada had increased from 242 to 496 with 19 in Saskatchewan and 67 in Alberta. During my stay in Saskatoon I had not encountered anyone with respiratory symptoms and I was quite well as I set out on my journey home.
At hospital, I discussed any possible exposure to H1N1 with the physician. A combined influenza A and B antigen screen on a nasopharyngeal swab was positive, and so an additional swab and a blood sample were sent for further testing. I was prescribed oseltamivir 75mg orally twice daily for five days, and advised to remain at home until the confirmatory test results were available.
By the following morning, my fever and sore throat had subsided and I was feeling better. Despite the possibility of H1N1 influenza, the situation was still uncertain and I had to make some important decisions. I cancelled all my appointments for the day, but decided to go ahead with a very important engagement ? a ten- minute presentation of a research grant proposal to six of my peers. I returned home immediately after the presentation.
On Sunday 24 May, I received a call from the Health Authority confirming Influenza A (H1N1) infection. I was therefore in the unenviable position of being the first reported case of H1N1 infection in the UAE. I was admitted to hospital with airborne and contact isolation, where I completed the rest of the maximum recommended 10 days quarantine period.
Browsing the CDC website enabled me to ascertain my own risk for complications and the likelihood of succumbing to this infection. I recall a sense of apprehension with real or imagined breathlessness as I read about the presenting symptoms and signs of severe cases, but my symptoms and fears soon abated and I was finally discharged home and allowed to return to work.
More : http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2009/08/20/...arab-emirates/
20 Aug, 09 | by julietwalker
I had the honor of being the first case reported officially from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It was 3 am on Sunday, 17th May when I arrived at Dubai Airport, via Calgary and Heathrow, after spending a week with my family in Saskatoon, Canada.
Later that day I returned to my department at the university where several colleagues passed by my office to welcome me back. That night l developed a sore throat, high fever, and cough. At 8 am the following day, feeling lethargic and generally unwell and fearing the worst, I went to the emergency department of our local hospital and presented myself to the on-duty infectious diseases consultant.
As a public health physician, I had taken stock of the situation before my travel to Canada on 8th May. At that time, the World Health Organization was not recommending restrictions on travel, although some individual national authorities were advising against non-essential travel. The advice on the various websites seemed very pragmatic: observe basic hygiene, hand-washing and cough etiquette; do not travel when ill and seek medical advice if becoming ill after returning.
My route took me through London (34 cases reported in the UK at that time) and Toronto (61 cases in Ontario) to Saskatoon (2 cases). By the time I was due to return to UAE via Calgary, cases in Canada had increased from 242 to 496 with 19 in Saskatchewan and 67 in Alberta. During my stay in Saskatoon I had not encountered anyone with respiratory symptoms and I was quite well as I set out on my journey home.
At hospital, I discussed any possible exposure to H1N1 with the physician. A combined influenza A and B antigen screen on a nasopharyngeal swab was positive, and so an additional swab and a blood sample were sent for further testing. I was prescribed oseltamivir 75mg orally twice daily for five days, and advised to remain at home until the confirmatory test results were available.
By the following morning, my fever and sore throat had subsided and I was feeling better. Despite the possibility of H1N1 influenza, the situation was still uncertain and I had to make some important decisions. I cancelled all my appointments for the day, but decided to go ahead with a very important engagement ? a ten- minute presentation of a research grant proposal to six of my peers. I returned home immediately after the presentation.
On Sunday 24 May, I received a call from the Health Authority confirming Influenza A (H1N1) infection. I was therefore in the unenviable position of being the first reported case of H1N1 infection in the UAE. I was admitted to hospital with airborne and contact isolation, where I completed the rest of the maximum recommended 10 days quarantine period.
Browsing the CDC website enabled me to ascertain my own risk for complications and the likelihood of succumbing to this infection. I recall a sense of apprehension with real or imagined breathlessness as I read about the presenting symptoms and signs of severe cases, but my symptoms and fears soon abated and I was finally discharged home and allowed to return to work.
More : http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2009/08/20/...arab-emirates/