Swine flu alert
29 April, 2009 – With the World Health Organization (WHO) increasing the pandemic alert level for the swine influenza outbreak, the public health department (PHD) decided yesterday to implement counter measures throughout the country.
The PHD director, Dr Ugen Dophu, said there was no need to panic, but that we shouldn’t be complacent. PHD is securing all entry points into the country. Posters displaying the symptoms of the flu will be displayed for travellers and authorities. Travellers, with flu like symptoms, will either have to voluntarily declare themselves or be advised by authorities to go for diagnosis at the closest health facility.
The director also said the department had already requested WHO for more antiviral drugs. The department has 10,000 antiviral tablets ready to deal with an outbreak, but information is insufficient as to the effectiveness of these drugs in treating the virus.
Health facilities in all districts have been notified and put on alert. The director said these facilities had already been equipped to deal with an outbreak during the bird flu pandemic.
The swine influenza is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease of pigs that has become transferable to humans. So far, 878 cases with 60 deaths have been reported in Mexico, where it was first reported.
The virus is spread through direct contact with an infected person and indirect contact, such as touching a contaminated surface. People with the virus experience symptoms similar to typical flu: high fever, cough and sore throat, and, in some cases, diarrhoea and vomiting.
Although swine flu is not transmissible to people through eating properly cooked pork, the PHD director said Bhutanese should take precautionary measures. The department recommends strict hygiene practices like covering the mouth while coughing or sneezing, washing hands, eating properly cooked pork, etc.
Source: Kuenselonline