Colombia On Guard for Risk of Virus Stronger Than A/H1N1

[Tonka]

http://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/ElFi...cId=270107&docTipo=1&orderby=docid&sortby=ASC

Colombia On Guard for Risk of Virus Stronger Than A/H1N1
Health - Friday 25 June (11:43 hrs.)


H5N1 could get to Bogot? by foreign tourists visiting the city
The symptoms are very similar to human influenza, said Zambrano

The online Financial

Bogot?, June 25 .- Health authorities in Colombia went on alert to the possible arrival of a stronger virus than H1N1, which in 2009 caused 243 deaths and three thousand infected 900 people in the Andean country.

Health Secretary of Bogota, Hector Zambrano, warned that there is a high risk that the new virus known as H5N1, to reach the Colombian capital through foreign tourists visiting the city.

He explained that the symptoms are very similar to human influenza, such as cough, fever, headaches and throat, and are related to characteristics of the avian flu.

Zambrano told reporters that the high probability that the virus arrives in Bogota, the public hospital network is on alert, more so when the rains increase respiratory illnesses.

Since coming to the Andean nation in May 2009, the human influenza has killed 243 people and infected another three thousand 900, in 31 of the 32 provinces, official figures showed. (With information from Notimex / MVC)

 

[Tonka]

Re: Colombia On Guard for Risk of Virus Stronger Than A/H1N1

http://www.rcnradio.com/noticias/na...rtan-en-bogot-virus-m-s-agresivo-que-el-ah1n1

No H5N1 in Bagota
| 7:47 a.m. 0 comment (s) | 0.
RCN Radio
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By: RCN News
This H5N1 virus, according to reports of the World Health Organization, currently only affects Asian countries, although there was speculation about his possible appearance in the country.

The international health agency has ruled out the presence of the epidemic in countries of America and the European continent.

Today the world has confirmed 492 cases of the new virus and 291 people have died on the Asian continent.

To date, in Bogot?l will have been taken over 23 000 samples, of which 8 000 500 have been processed. 97 samples were confirmed positive of H1N1 virus of which 72 are residents of the city.

In the country five people have died, one in the nation's capital. As a precaution, the Secretariat conducted a day of vaccinations during the months of May and June through which 290 000 people were vaccinated against H1N1.

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: Colombia On Guard for Risk of Virus Stronger Than A/H1N1

From the latest World Health Organization Pandemic H1N1 2009 Update: (full text, http://www.who.int/csr/don/2010_06_25/en/index.html )

Worldwide, overall pandemic and seasonal influenza activity remains low. Active transmission of pandemic influenza virus persists in parts of the tropics, particularly in the Caribbean, West Africa, and South and Southeast Asia.

...

In Chile, during the second week of June, approximately 1% samples tested positive for influenza (the majority were pandemic influenza virus).

In Argentina, small numbers of influenza type B viruses were detected during early June 2010.

In both Chile and Argentina, respiratory syncitial virus (RSV) continued to be the predominant circulating respiratory virus.

...

In the tropical regions of the Americas, overall pandemic and seasonal influenza activity remained very low, except in Cuba and Colombia, where low levels of pandemic influenza virus continue to circulate (approximately 8% of respiratory samples tested positive for pandemic influenza in both countries during the early part of June 2010).

In Cuba, pandemic influenza virus transmission remains active but has declined substantially since peaking during mid-April to mid-May 2010; no new fatal cases have been reported over the past four reporting weeks.

In Colombia, persistent but low level circulation of pandemic influenza virus has increased slightly since late May 2010; however, the overall level of respiratory diseases in the population was reported to be low to moderate during mid June 2010.

In several countries of the region, there has been recent circulation of seasonal influenza viruses including type A (Venezuela during May 2010) and B (Bolivia during March and May 2010; El Salvador during late May and early June 2010). Variable ongoing co-circulation of other respiratory viruses, including RSV, continues to be reported across the region.

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