Source: http://momento24.com/en/2009/07/01/a...lu-infections/
Featured
Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections
Posted on 01 July 2009 at 11:47
The National Government despite the alarming figures, refused to declare a national health emergency.
So far 16 provinces including Buenos Aires took their own healthcare decisions individually, to extend the winter break to about a month.
Schools which serve meals will have them available for pupils to pick them up and take them home every day during the emergency.
Parents are advised not to let their children go to crowded public places.
So far, 38 were killed by H1N1 virus, and world agencies believe the number of deaths is unusually large considering the total number of infections (1,587).
It is believed that the actual number of infections reaches 15,000 with 43 deaths.
The deceased by province are:
Province of Buenos Aires : 29
Buenos Aires City: 6
Santa Fe: 5
Corrientes: 2
Misiones: 1
? ? ? ? ? ? ?.
Total: 43
These figures suggest the official information does not entirely reflect the actual situation of the pandemic in the country.
All this leads to misinformation as well as fear in most of the population, while some are not aware of the real situation and consider it common seasonal flu.
Unfortunately, some authorities reacted a little late regarding preventive measures, declaring that the strain of H1N1 virus circulating in our country was a ?weakened? version of the illness, while figures seem to indicate it is a very aggressive and dangerous strain.
Health centers, collapsed, and when a patient arrived with flu symptoms, was sent him home and told to return only if 48 hours later the symptoms persisted. Despite the cold, parents had to take their children with a fever of 38 ?C or more out in the cold and wait in a crowded hospital lobby for long hours among hundreds of patients affected by all kind of diseases. This when the WHO said treatment with antiviral drugs such as, Tamiflu is most effective within the first 48 hours of infection.
Meanwhile, Chief of Cabinet Sergio Massa, said that from now on health authorities will change their current procedures and provide treatment right away to every patient suspected of being infected.
According to Massa, the government has a stock of two million treatments of Tamiflu, so he would be prepared for a resurgence of the epidemic, which according to many experts, could take place in the next two weeks.
Schools are closed but Dr. Carlos Bergallo, Chief of the Infectious Diseases of ?Cordoba? Hospital and ?Allende? Sanatorium said: ?They did not close the malls or movie theaters or places of that kind, so if the kids get together in leisure centers rather than in a classroom, this measures are useless. ?
The infectologist was concerned over the increase in cases of pneumonia treated at his hospital, and warned of the possibility that the H1N1 virus mixed with that of seasonal influenza.
?The virus may have mutated, and we do not know it. Small genetic changes can make it more aggressive.?
According to the doctor, the seriousness of swine flu, is that, unlike the seasonal version which mainly affecting young children and the elderly, this new disease attacks with particular virulence young adults, and develops unusually quickly.
Featured
Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections
Posted on 01 July 2009 at 11:47
The National Government despite the alarming figures, refused to declare a national health emergency.
So far 16 provinces including Buenos Aires took their own healthcare decisions individually, to extend the winter break to about a month.
Schools which serve meals will have them available for pupils to pick them up and take them home every day during the emergency.
Parents are advised not to let their children go to crowded public places.
So far, 38 were killed by H1N1 virus, and world agencies believe the number of deaths is unusually large considering the total number of infections (1,587).
It is believed that the actual number of infections reaches 15,000 with 43 deaths.
The deceased by province are:
Province of Buenos Aires : 29
Buenos Aires City: 6
Santa Fe: 5
Corrientes: 2
Misiones: 1
? ? ? ? ? ? ?.
Total: 43
These figures suggest the official information does not entirely reflect the actual situation of the pandemic in the country.
All this leads to misinformation as well as fear in most of the population, while some are not aware of the real situation and consider it common seasonal flu.
Unfortunately, some authorities reacted a little late regarding preventive measures, declaring that the strain of H1N1 virus circulating in our country was a ?weakened? version of the illness, while figures seem to indicate it is a very aggressive and dangerous strain.
Health centers, collapsed, and when a patient arrived with flu symptoms, was sent him home and told to return only if 48 hours later the symptoms persisted. Despite the cold, parents had to take their children with a fever of 38 ?C or more out in the cold and wait in a crowded hospital lobby for long hours among hundreds of patients affected by all kind of diseases. This when the WHO said treatment with antiviral drugs such as, Tamiflu is most effective within the first 48 hours of infection.
Meanwhile, Chief of Cabinet Sergio Massa, said that from now on health authorities will change their current procedures and provide treatment right away to every patient suspected of being infected.
According to Massa, the government has a stock of two million treatments of Tamiflu, so he would be prepared for a resurgence of the epidemic, which according to many experts, could take place in the next two weeks.
Schools are closed but Dr. Carlos Bergallo, Chief of the Infectious Diseases of ?Cordoba? Hospital and ?Allende? Sanatorium said: ?They did not close the malls or movie theaters or places of that kind, so if the kids get together in leisure centers rather than in a classroom, this measures are useless. ?
The infectologist was concerned over the increase in cases of pneumonia treated at his hospital, and warned of the possibility that the H1N1 virus mixed with that of seasonal influenza.
?The virus may have mutated, and we do not know it. Small genetic changes can make it more aggressive.?
According to the doctor, the seriousness of swine flu, is that, unlike the seasonal version which mainly affecting young children and the elderly, this new disease attacks with particular virulence young adults, and develops unusually quickly.
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