Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Security/?id=3.0.3623060390
Indonesia: Health officials fear swine flu may spread
Jakarta, 5 August (AKI/Jakarta Post) - There are fears that swine flu virus - A H1N1 - could spread more quickly in Indonesia amid signs it is infecting people who have not travelled outside the country, a senior health official has warned.
Data from the Indonesian health ministry showed that of the 561 patients confirmed with the virus, the majority had not been outside Indonesia before contracting the disease.
?The problem is that many people do not have clean and healthy lifestyle habits, which allows H1N1 to spread more quickly because it is now transmitted from human-to-human at the community level,? said Andi Muhadir, director of surveillance of epidemiology and immunisation at the ministry, on Tuesday.
?The H1N1 virus could spread easily to infect any people, any time and anywhere.?
Around 90 percent of those confirmed infections were Indonesian citizens and the rest were foreigners, Andi said.
The ministry data showed that only 23 percent of those infected had travelled abroad recently. It also revealed that half were aged between 16 and 45.
However, Andi reminded the public not to panic about H1N1 because of its low mortality rate of 0.4 percent.
?There is no need to panic about this virus, but the public should beware of human-to-human transmissions."
Bakrie Telecom, a local cell phone operator, has launched a campaign to boost public awareness to prevent the spread of swine flu.
Under the program, subscribers to Esia (Bakrie Telecom?s flagship product) can send text messages to 888 to get information about the virus, hospitals and medicines.
?We know H1N1 spreads very quickly, but public understanding is still limited. We want to help educate the public about the virus and preventive measures,? the company?s president director, Anindya Bakrie, told reporters.
Indonesia: Health officials fear swine flu may spread
Jakarta, 5 August (AKI/Jakarta Post) - There are fears that swine flu virus - A H1N1 - could spread more quickly in Indonesia amid signs it is infecting people who have not travelled outside the country, a senior health official has warned.
Data from the Indonesian health ministry showed that of the 561 patients confirmed with the virus, the majority had not been outside Indonesia before contracting the disease.
?The problem is that many people do not have clean and healthy lifestyle habits, which allows H1N1 to spread more quickly because it is now transmitted from human-to-human at the community level,? said Andi Muhadir, director of surveillance of epidemiology and immunisation at the ministry, on Tuesday.
?The H1N1 virus could spread easily to infect any people, any time and anywhere.?
Around 90 percent of those confirmed infections were Indonesian citizens and the rest were foreigners, Andi said.
The ministry data showed that only 23 percent of those infected had travelled abroad recently. It also revealed that half were aged between 16 and 45.
However, Andi reminded the public not to panic about H1N1 because of its low mortality rate of 0.4 percent.
?There is no need to panic about this virus, but the public should beware of human-to-human transmissions."
Bakrie Telecom, a local cell phone operator, has launched a campaign to boost public awareness to prevent the spread of swine flu.
Under the program, subscribers to Esia (Bakrie Telecom?s flagship product) can send text messages to 888 to get information about the virus, hospitals and medicines.
?We know H1N1 spreads very quickly, but public understanding is still limited. We want to help educate the public about the virus and preventive measures,? the company?s president director, Anindya Bakrie, told reporters.