Re: Cura?ao / Sint Maarten - Cases - 3 plus 1
St. Maarten registers first case of H1N1 flu
by The Daily Herald
Posted: Jun 17, 2009 14:19 UTC
~ Patient in containment at home, almost recovered ~
PHILIPSBURG -
A young American University of the Caribbean (AUC) School of Medicine student on Tuesday became the first person in the Netherlands Antilles confirmed with the H1N1 virus, just days after the World Health Organization declared the virus a pandemic.
Local health authorities have advised the public to take the necessary preventative measures.
AUC Dean Hiroko Yoshida said yesterday evening that the student, a resident of St. Martin, was under containment at home and was being treated with Tamiflu antiviral medication. The student’s roommate is also on prophylactic (preventative) medication and has also been advised to remain at home.
The university remains open.
AUC Professor Dr. Albert van der Waag told The Daily Herald yesterday evening that the infected student, who had been in containment since last week Friday, had almost recovered from the flu and was doing well.
Van der Waag said the student had not travelled in at least six months and it was being investigated whether she had contracted the virus from a professor with whom she had contact during a class who subsequently left the island and was later confirmed with the virus in Japan.
He said the professor, who is married to an AUC student and had been residing in St. Maarten for well over a year, had been under quarantine in Japan for several days and had now fully recovered and was currently out of the hospital.
National Epidemiologist Dr. Izzy Gertzenbluth said Tuesday in Curaçao that Sector Health Care had informed him that a teacher working at AUC in Cupecoy had left St. Maarten on June 6 and “one or two” days later had developed fever and flu-like symptoms after arriving at his destination, Japan. “When he arrived they tested him and he turned out to be positive for influenza H1N1,” Gertzenbluth said.
He said while the professor could have contracted the virus en route to his destination, the possibility that this case had originated in St. Maarten was being “seriously considered.”
“He could have also been infected on the airplane or anywhere else.
What we decided to do is take a sample of people who were ill at the university and who had close contact with and him. … SHCA did that investigation and according to protocols, a person was sampled, this was sent via Curaçao to Erasmus University lab [in the Netherlands].”
Gertzenbluth said SHCA had been notified immediately when the test results returned positive. “[St. Maarten] also started taking measures to contain [the virus]. Some measures were already in place in that the patient was already isolated at home and had been receiving treatment, and prophylactic preventative treatment for her roommate,” he said.
He said physicians in St. Maarten were already on alert and a higher state of vigilance was in place. “St. Maarten is taking all the measures that it needs to take at the moment,” he said.
In its report of the case, the Public Health Department said in a press statement that it had been informed by a family physician that a person had departed St. Maarten on June 6 and had been quarantined in Japan on June 11 after being confirmed with H1N1.
The Health Department said that, based on the report it had received from the doctor and a number of flu cases on the AUC premises, a team of registered nurses had visited the university to identify persons who had flu-like symptoms and who had had contact with the person who had contact with students and/or who had travelled in the past seven to 10 days.
One sample was collected and sent to Rotterdam during this exercise conducted under the auspices of the Preventative Health Department, and the person was advised to remain at home.
SHCA said Gertzenbluth had informed it that the test had been confirmed as positive. The Preventive Health Department said it would continue to monitor the development of the situation at AUC.
Yoshida told this newspaper AUC was taking the necessary measures.
Van der Waag said it would be interesting to determine whether the original H1N1 case had originated in St. Maarten. He alluded to the custom of residents kissing each other on the cheek as a greeting, three times on the Dutch side and twice in St. Martin, and suggested that persons be more vigilant when practicing this custom during this period of containment.
SHCA urges persons experiencing flu-like symptoms who have travelled to or arrived from countries other than Mexico and the USA within 7-10 days, or who have had contact with a confirmed H1N1 patient, to stay at home and call their physicians or the Preventive Health Department at tel. 542-2078, 542-3003 or 520-4523.
They can also visit the Websites
www.cdc.gov/swineflu or
www.who.int for additional information.
Sector Health Care has issued the following tips, which it said residents could apply immediately: Wash hands often as protection from germs. Wash with soap and water or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner/sanitizer. It is recommended that you wash your hands with soap and warm water for 15-20 seconds. Cover mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Dispose of used tissues properly in a wastebasket and wash hands thereafter. Frequently disinfect hard useable surfaces such as doorknobs, countertops, desks, phones, etc. Provide napkins and hand sanitisers on a regular basis for your staff and clientele. Avoid close contact with sick persons diagnosed with H1N1. Persons who have flu-like symptoms and have travelled in the last 7-10 days should stay at home and immediately contact their general practitioners/physicians or the Public Health Department. Diagnosed persons should stay indoors and protect their families and colleagues.
The World Health Organisation declared a swine flu pandemic last week. Nearly 36,000 people have been infected and 163 have died.
http://news.caribseek.com/Sint_Maarten/The_Daily_Herald/article_78748.shtml
