Swine Flu Reported in Nyapyidaw

[Ronan Kelly]

Swine Flu Reported in Nyapyidaw

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By THE IRRAWADDY Friday, February 19, 2010



Cases of A/H1N1 swine flu have been reported in Naypyidaw, the Burmese capital, following a similar outbreak in Rangoon earlier this month, according to sources in the former capital.

A number of people, including government employes, in Naypyidaw have been diagnosed with A/H1N1 swine flu, and the authorities are providing vaccines and medicine, said a journalist in Rangoon.

About 30 civil servants who attended ceremonies for the 63rd Union Day in Naypyidaw were reportedly quarantined in the capital, according to one report, which could not be confirmed.

It was not clear if those quarantined had already contracted the flu or only had been exposed to people with the flu.

An outbreak of A/H1N1 flu was reported in Rangoon in early February when dozens of students contracted the disease.

According to a physician at the Ministry of Health, 27 cases of the disease have been confirmed since Feb. 7. The total number number in Burma now stands at 31, although the official number is 29, according to state-run media.

All 27 cases were students from primary and high schools in North Dagon Township in Rangoon. The infected students were admitted to the Wai Bar Gi infectious disease hospital. Seventy-three people with whom they had contact were quarantined.

On Feb. 5, four people in Chin State also tested positive for the A/H1N1 virus.

Cases of the H5N1 virus and A/H1N1 flu have both been reported in Rangoon, sources said.

Meanwhile, sources in Rangoon said that Burmese authorities have banned the sale of eggs in some markets in Rangoon Division after the discovery of the H5N1 virus at a chicken farm.

Last year, 69 cases of the disease were confirmed.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=17853

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Swine Flu Reported in Nyapyidaw

H1N1 traps Chin youths in Naypyidaw

Monday, 22 February 2010 19:26 Phanida

New Delhi (Mizzima) - A group of Chin youth who earlier this month made the long trip to Burma?s new capital Naypyidaw to participate in the 63<SUP>rd</SUP> anniversary celebration of Union day are now stranded because several members of the group showed symptoms of the H1N1 influenza virus.

On the 4<SUP>th</SUP> February approximately 50 Chin Youth headed to Naypyidaw to represent their state in a Union Day cultural dance program . Mizzima has been informed that when some members of the group got sick and showed signs of the H1N1 influenza virus officials in Naypydiaw decided to prevent the entire group from returning home in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus.

A Chin mother whose daughter is stranded in Naypidaw told Mizzima that her daughter told her. "We all are not allowed to go back home because the H1N1 virus was found among some of us. And we are fed protection tablets and checked up in morning, afternoon and evening.? The mother hoped they might be allowed to leave on 25<SUP>th</SUP> February.

A journalist in Rangoon told Mizzima that some of the youths were admitted to hospital and that most of them are from Chin and Shan states. But still the government has not yet confirmed whether the youth in fact have H1N1 influenza or not.

"When we asked the Neypyitaw Health Ministry, they said that MR TV reports on the latest news about the H1N1 virus every day," the journalist said. When pressed further the Health Ministry officials refused to disclose more details about the Chin students, the journalist added.

On February 8 the Burmese regime?s official newspaper the New Light of Myanmar reported that many youth from different states and divisions had arrived in the new capital to participate in union day festivities and were staying at Naypyidaw?s No.7 Guest House.

http://www.mizzima.com/news/inside-burma/3563-h1n1-traps-chin-youths-in-naypyidaw.html