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Taiwan death toll from A (H1N1) swine flu virus rises to 5
Taiwan News, Staff Writer
2009-08-24 05:36 PM Fonts Size:
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) ? A six-year-old boy from Changhua and a 44-year-old woman from Pingtung died of the A (H1N1) swine flu virus, bringing the total death toll in Taiwan to five, the Centers for Disease Control announced Monday.
The boy became ill on July 19 with a fever of 39 degrees. His condition worsened on July 27, leading to his transfer to a larger hospital. He nevertheless still died almost a month later, on August 21, the CDC said.
The woman, who lived in Pingtung but was not a typhoon victim, felt ill on August 17 and registered a fever of 39 degrees on August 20, the CDC said. She showed all the symptoms of the virus, including severe coughing and throat ache.
The woman apparently was treated with the prominent anti-flu drug Tamiflu, leading the CDC to begin an investigation to find whether the A (H1N1) virus was becoming resistant to the drugs.
Five people were still staying in intensive care units listed as severe swine flu cases.
During a visit to the CDC Monday, Premier Liu Chao-shiuan cautioned that Taiwan should not underestimate the danger of the virus outbreak. He promised his government would continue to make an effort to buy anti-flu drugs overseas, despite the obvious difficulties as the flu was spreading worldwide.
A Taiwanese biotechnology firm is also producing anti-flu drugs, but the supply is not expected to be enough if the virus spreads further after the summer, as is widely feared.
With the official school year beginning next Monday, the Ministry of Education recommended measuring the temperatures of students, teachers and of visitors to schools.
Teachers should also pay attention to the health of their students, measuring temperatures when needed, looking out for flu symptoms, and teaching them about the right flu etiquette, the MOE said.
When more than two students in the same class were found to show flu symptoms within three days of each other, the whole class should be suspended for five days, and the affected students should only return at least 24 hours after the end of their illness was confirmed, according to new rules drawn up by the MOE.
Three classes at a school in Tainan City and one at a Taipei high school met with that fate Monday, leading to the suspension of the classes and other activities until August 30, reports said. So far, 15 schools in the Taipei area have been forced to suspend classes because of the virus.
Temperatures were taken from people arriving at schools Monday in Taichung City, where the school year started one week early because of a nationwide sports event.
http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news...=958.jpg&cate_rss=news_editors_choices_TAIWAN
Taiwan News, Staff Writer
2009-08-24 05:36 PM Fonts Size:
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) ? A six-year-old boy from Changhua and a 44-year-old woman from Pingtung died of the A (H1N1) swine flu virus, bringing the total death toll in Taiwan to five, the Centers for Disease Control announced Monday.
The boy became ill on July 19 with a fever of 39 degrees. His condition worsened on July 27, leading to his transfer to a larger hospital. He nevertheless still died almost a month later, on August 21, the CDC said.
The woman, who lived in Pingtung but was not a typhoon victim, felt ill on August 17 and registered a fever of 39 degrees on August 20, the CDC said. She showed all the symptoms of the virus, including severe coughing and throat ache.
The woman apparently was treated with the prominent anti-flu drug Tamiflu, leading the CDC to begin an investigation to find whether the A (H1N1) virus was becoming resistant to the drugs.
Five people were still staying in intensive care units listed as severe swine flu cases.
During a visit to the CDC Monday, Premier Liu Chao-shiuan cautioned that Taiwan should not underestimate the danger of the virus outbreak. He promised his government would continue to make an effort to buy anti-flu drugs overseas, despite the obvious difficulties as the flu was spreading worldwide.
A Taiwanese biotechnology firm is also producing anti-flu drugs, but the supply is not expected to be enough if the virus spreads further after the summer, as is widely feared.
With the official school year beginning next Monday, the Ministry of Education recommended measuring the temperatures of students, teachers and of visitors to schools.
Teachers should also pay attention to the health of their students, measuring temperatures when needed, looking out for flu symptoms, and teaching them about the right flu etiquette, the MOE said.
When more than two students in the same class were found to show flu symptoms within three days of each other, the whole class should be suspended for five days, and the affected students should only return at least 24 hours after the end of their illness was confirmed, according to new rules drawn up by the MOE.
Three classes at a school in Tainan City and one at a Taipei high school met with that fate Monday, leading to the suspension of the classes and other activities until August 30, reports said. So far, 15 schools in the Taipei area have been forced to suspend classes because of the virus.
Temperatures were taken from people arriving at schools Monday in Taichung City, where the school year started one week early because of a nationwide sports event.
http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news...=958.jpg&cate_rss=news_editors_choices_TAIWAN