Health Minister: Swine Flu "Impossible to Contain"
LINK: http://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2009/07/...flu_quotimpossible_to_containquot_880482.html
The spread of the H1N1 swine flu is now unstoppable in Finland, says Minister of Social Affairs and Health Paula Risikko. She adds the aim now is to prevent possible complications and to treat serious cases and those belonging to risk groups.
?Containing the virus is no longer possible,? Risikko states. The government is likely to remove the virus from the list of generally hazardous communicable diseases at a meeting on Thursday.
Treatment of the virus will now be transferred from specialist hospital wards to health centres. They will concentrate on treating patients belonging to risk groups such as pregnant mothers, the long-term ill and small infants.
155 Confirmed Cases in Finland
Cases of the H1N1 virus have increased quickly over the past few weeks. Confirmed cases in Finland currently total 155.
Research professor Petri Ruutu of the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) says treatment at home will be sufficient for most patients.
The severity of influenza A (H1N1) disease resembles more and more seasonal influenza, and most patients recover well without requiring any medical or hospital treatment.
Schools and day care centres will not be closed due to the virus. Only if a majority of staff became sick would day care centres close their doors.
Autumn Epidemic
The health care sector anticipates a widespread swine flu epidemic peaking from September to November. Professor Ruutu estimates as many as 1.5 million Finns could come down with the virus.
He adds current estimates put the number of fatalities at 2,000 to 2,500. This is three times higher than the number of deaths in Finland from normal seasonal influenza.
Ruutu reasurred that Finland has adequate supplies of the anti-viral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza to deal with cases.
YLE
LINK: http://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2009/07/...flu_quotimpossible_to_containquot_880482.html
The spread of the H1N1 swine flu is now unstoppable in Finland, says Minister of Social Affairs and Health Paula Risikko. She adds the aim now is to prevent possible complications and to treat serious cases and those belonging to risk groups.
?Containing the virus is no longer possible,? Risikko states. The government is likely to remove the virus from the list of generally hazardous communicable diseases at a meeting on Thursday.
Treatment of the virus will now be transferred from specialist hospital wards to health centres. They will concentrate on treating patients belonging to risk groups such as pregnant mothers, the long-term ill and small infants.
155 Confirmed Cases in Finland
Cases of the H1N1 virus have increased quickly over the past few weeks. Confirmed cases in Finland currently total 155.
Research professor Petri Ruutu of the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) says treatment at home will be sufficient for most patients.
The severity of influenza A (H1N1) disease resembles more and more seasonal influenza, and most patients recover well without requiring any medical or hospital treatment.
Schools and day care centres will not be closed due to the virus. Only if a majority of staff became sick would day care centres close their doors.
Autumn Epidemic
The health care sector anticipates a widespread swine flu epidemic peaking from September to November. Professor Ruutu estimates as many as 1.5 million Finns could come down with the virus.
He adds current estimates put the number of fatalities at 2,000 to 2,500. This is three times higher than the number of deaths in Finland from normal seasonal influenza.
Ruutu reasurred that Finland has adequate supplies of the anti-viral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza to deal with cases.
YLE