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Caribbean swine flu cases rising
ROSEAU, Dominica, June 9, 2009 - Dominica has become the latest Caribbean country to confirm the H1N1 virus, while two new cases have been detected in Jamaica, and another in Trinidad.
Two people who recently returned from the United States are Dominica's first cases.
They are being quarantined at home.
The authorities in Jamaica said the two new cases there were confirmed in residents of New York in the United States who visited the island.
A statement from the Ministry of Health said that "one has recovered and the other is recovering satisfactorily".
"Immediate contacts have been interviewed, examined and samples taken. The Ministry's surveillance and monitoring team has still not detected any local spread to date. The Ministry had previously detected two imported cases in the Island, from persons who had travelled to New York and those persons are well."
Over in Trinidad, the Ministry of Health reported over the weekend that a second case of the flu had been discovered. Last week a Trinidadian woman who returned home after a trip throughout Europe was confirmed as the first case.
The second case was found after testing was conducted on persons travelling on the same flight as the woman.
"The Ministry of Health has already contacted and tested the people sitting close to the index case, and continues to contact more people from that flight," a statement said, further encouraging all persons in the island who were on that American Airlines flight 1647 on May 30th from Miami to Piarco International Airport to contact the ministry if they have not yet been contacted.
"In the meantime, and as a further precautionary measure, all persons from (that flight) are asked to please stay at home as much possible and avoid mass gatherings. This is to minimize the possibility of any further potential spread of the virus," the ministry said.
It added that an increase in travel between affected areas and the Caribbean is anticipated during the school vacation period.
The Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) has advised that countries should continue enhanced surveillance for fever and respiratory illness.
The other cases in the English-speaking Caribbean have been one each in the Cayman Islands, Barbados, the Bahamas and Bermuda.
The World Health Organisation has said that so far, 73 countries have officially reported 25,288 cases of the H1N1 virus, including 139 deaths.
ROSEAU, Dominica, June 9, 2009 - Dominica has become the latest Caribbean country to confirm the H1N1 virus, while two new cases have been detected in Jamaica, and another in Trinidad.
Two people who recently returned from the United States are Dominica's first cases.
They are being quarantined at home.
The authorities in Jamaica said the two new cases there were confirmed in residents of New York in the United States who visited the island.
A statement from the Ministry of Health said that "one has recovered and the other is recovering satisfactorily".
"Immediate contacts have been interviewed, examined and samples taken. The Ministry's surveillance and monitoring team has still not detected any local spread to date. The Ministry had previously detected two imported cases in the Island, from persons who had travelled to New York and those persons are well."
Over in Trinidad, the Ministry of Health reported over the weekend that a second case of the flu had been discovered. Last week a Trinidadian woman who returned home after a trip throughout Europe was confirmed as the first case.
The second case was found after testing was conducted on persons travelling on the same flight as the woman.
"The Ministry of Health has already contacted and tested the people sitting close to the index case, and continues to contact more people from that flight," a statement said, further encouraging all persons in the island who were on that American Airlines flight 1647 on May 30th from Miami to Piarco International Airport to contact the ministry if they have not yet been contacted.
"In the meantime, and as a further precautionary measure, all persons from (that flight) are asked to please stay at home as much possible and avoid mass gatherings. This is to minimize the possibility of any further potential spread of the virus," the ministry said.
It added that an increase in travel between affected areas and the Caribbean is anticipated during the school vacation period.
The Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) has advised that countries should continue enhanced surveillance for fever and respiratory illness.
The other cases in the English-speaking Caribbean have been one each in the Cayman Islands, Barbados, the Bahamas and Bermuda.
The World Health Organisation has said that so far, 73 countries have officially reported 25,288 cases of the H1N1 virus, including 139 deaths.
