Thursday, 2nd July 2009 - 09:13CET
Updated: Swine flu cases rise to four
Updated: 8 p.m.
Another two cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Malta, bringing the total to four.
This evening's cases were in the same group of travellers who returned to Malta from Spain last Tuesday.
This morning, Parliamentary Secretary Mario Galea said that doctors were treating two men for H1N1. All four had travelled to Spain with a group of 24. They were staying in Salou. Another 11 members of the group who were showing symptoms tested negative.
The four cases involve four men. They are being treated at home and are not seriously ill. They, the suspected cases and their families, are under voluntary quarantine.
Malta had so far been the only EU country without a Swine Flu case, Mr Galea said.
"It was a matter of when, not if. There is no need for alarm, we are well prepared, life has to go on as normal," Mr Galea said.
Swine flu has spread across the world. More than 1 million people in the United States may have been infected with the new flu and a global pandemic alert has been activated.
The World Health Organisation has reported 81,700 confirmed cases and 343 deaths worldwide. However, the victims have often been found to have had underlying health problems.
Swine flu has shown itself to be responsive to both Tamiflu and Relenza, which are expected to be the first line of defence before a vaccine against the virus is available.
The Health Department in Malta last month mailed to all households a leaflet explaining elementery prevention measures to stop the spread of the disease. Mr Galea has headed government plans to tackle any possible outbreak including the provision of medicines and the allocation of a special section at Mater Dei Hospital.
The leaflet is part of a €3.5 million spending package that will also go towards antiviral supplies, antibiotics, protective gear for hospital workers and the stockpiling of alcohol-based hand rubs.
The cash injection is over and above the about €4.5 million invested in past years to combat a potential pandemic.
Apart from airborne droplets, influenza can be spread after a person touches a lift button, a phone, keyboard or door knob which had been touched by a sick person, and then touches his nose or mouth.
Frequent hand washing, regular cleaning of surfaces and covering one's mouth when coughing or sneezing can go some way to help stem the spread of disease.
Mr Galea said last month that Malta's antiviral supplies were being increased after the government ordered 10,000 courses of the antiviral Relenza.
When in 2005 there were fears that avian influenza would cause the next pandemic, the government had already bought 100,000 doses of Tamiflu, some doses of Relenza and a substantial amount of oseltamivir powder, which can be turned into capsules or syrup.
On June 11, Mr Galea said a Japanese boy who contracted swine flu after holidaying in Malta left the island before he started showing symptoms.
He said that the six-year-old boy could not have infected anyone while on the island as one needed to have symptoms to be infective. The boy was one of 30 confirmed cases of the H1N1 flu at a school in the western German city of Dusseldorf.
The flu originated in Mexico earlier this year and is completely different from avian influenza, which was until recently thought to cause the next influenza pandemic.
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Comments
Can you please explain our country's preparations against the swine flu??? Every country seems to be alarmed.
Given that prevention is better than cure and every precaution counts, will the Government be distributing proper face masks to the population as is being done in many other countries?
Thanks
May I also suggest that a copy of this leaflet is to be available as a pdf online. This way it is easier to access too.
Thanks.
It's useless expecting many of the elderly who have dementia to obey the recommended precautions.
At least the school holidays have begun so that should help control the spread of the disease.
http://www.ronpaul.com/?s=swin+flu&submit=Go
Anyway, I downloaded a copy and distributed myself. It is unfair though since I assume the distributor was paid to do a simple job, properly! I wish my household was ommitted from all the junk mail we received in election time! Would have been lighter on our garbage boy!
thanks
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs211/en/ . It means that there are many more people dying from seasonal influenza, than from H1NI, and yet, people don't panic about THAT. As a matter of fact, on WHO's 1st July update (shortcut: http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_07_01a/en/index.html ), only 332 deaths are listed, so please, don't start stocking up on the emergency food supplies just yet. The sky is NOT about to fall down!
On another subject, enough of the bleeding heart sentimentalism. Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease, the infection from which is totally avoidable. If people are so ignorant as to not practice safe sex, then that is their problem, and I will not waste any time or pity on them. If you have it, get off your behind, and get yourself seen to, at your expense, and in future, wear protection, and be VERY selective about who you sleep with.
Perhaps someone from the Industry can reply.
Why do family doctors have to get to know news about Influenza A (H1N1) and many other similar important news from newspapers rather than being informed directly by the health authorities especially when there are dedicated news networks for medical professionals?
I can confirm that as at to date I haven't received the booklet. We live in Qrendi....and none of my family members living in this village or in Attard received this flyer!!!
Not that we really need this information at this stage (or a month ago). This leaflet was crucial in April when the first outbreaks occured and the maltese population were left in the 'dark' amidst confusion and panic.
Whereas i give thumbs up for the promotion given to the prevention of swine flu, i'm very doubtful/worried about certain outlets. Unfortunately, you still find a good number of restaurants/cafeterias/bars without soap in the toilets, considering that at this point in time, one should wash hands regularly. Can the authorities send inspectors to check all this. And please take note as well on whether the cutlery is being washed properly or just being dipped in water and that's it.
There is nothing to stop a virus from crossing borders. If what Mr. Joe Grima mentioned had been implemented, it would not have stopped the virus or prevented it from reaching Malta, it would simply have detected it on its arrival in Malta. There is a simpler but more expensive process known as thermal imaging, and I mentioned this on June 11, because I experienced it in the airport of Singapore a few years back, when Avian flu was spreading.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090611/local/malta-linked-to-duesseldorf-cases-of-hin1-flu
The problem is that WHO has produced conflicting reports by different working groups that may or may not apply to geographically isolated infection-free islands, as may be noted from the following!
http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/Health_topics/Pandemic_Influenza/pdf/InPand_SevEpi_Annex.pdf
http://www.wpro.who.int/NR/rdonlyres/3B18284F-4443-47A8-8548-B630CF3FDA76/0/EID_2006_Nonpharmaceuticalinterventionsforpandemicfluinternationalmeasures.pdf
I still believe that thermal imaging is useful – to detect possible cases on arrival rather than wait for people to go to the doctor by which time more people would have been exposed to the virus. Thermal imaging for departing passengers could also contribute to reducing the possibility of exporting the virus to others, including plane loads of people. Other airports have adopted thermal screening.
http://www.ameinfo.com/195021.html
http://www.tempsensornews.com/thermal_imaging/system-for-swine-fluh1n1-detection-more/
Kindly note that the Influenza A (H1N1) leaflet has been distributed to all households approximately a month ago. This was confirmed by various people in different localities, with whom we made random contact.
However, if for any reason whatsoever, one doesn’t have the Influenza leaflet and would like to receive one, kindly email me your address and it will be sent by post.
My email - gordon.pace@gov.mt
Best regards
Gordon Pace
Communications Coordinator
Parliamentary Secretariat for the Elderly and Community Care.
email - gordon.pace@gov.mt
All seasonal flu are potentially fatal, more so than the swine flu. The fact that it is pandemic doesn't mean that it is more virulent. Please get your facts right before starting to panic.
@Joe Grima
And yes why buy so much sofisticated equipment, use so much man power for nothing?? It is pandemic flu, it will spread like mad that is its feature. It happens every 30-40 years and it was due this time. Fortunately it does not have a high mortality, but it spreads very easily. I don't understand your thinking, why spend so much money on equipment and man power for nothing? It will still arrive and spread.
The only way that has been shown to reduce spread is basic hygene. None of the fancy stuff. I for one don't want my tax payer's money spend on useless things.
It will come and go. If all the population of malta get infected, with the current mortality rate, I dont expect anyone to die. Stop being alarmists
Negligence is not an excuse. Clymithia is brought on by lack of contraceptive usage and lack of hygene, however, in the case of the swine flu, u cant go on every person covering their face with a wet alcohol wipe.
But one can hardly protect oneself from the flu! And this being a potentially fatal strain makes it more worrisome. And the bad thing is that often one gets any flu due to other people's negligence (lack of hygiene, etc).
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article6623554.ece
This is the news, it is subject to change on a daily basis....
regards
Someone who knows that news change everyday.
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_07_01a/en/index.html
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090702/local/chlamydia-cases-expected-to-rise
What do I miss here?
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/News/Media/DH_098663
Catch it, Bin it, Kill it!
It's common knowledge that viruses do not thrive well at higher temperatures, so the risk of transmission is lower than one would think. The WHO is in fact concentrating its present efforts to combat the pandemic in the southern hemisphere due to the onset of winter there.
What is important is to practice the very basic measures of sanitisation mentioned by the Parliamentary Secretary such as frequent washing of hands, and teach them to our children, since these are considered to be super-spreaders when it comes to influenza.
There is an obvious risk wherever crowds congregate. It would be well to avoid anywhere where you are likely to come across large amounts of people in one place,especially enclosed places for now. Personal Hygiene is always very important.
Is the swine flu a symptom of the credit crunch?
I mean, why all this fuss? There are thousands of peoples die every day because of normal flu, smoking, drugs ,alcohol related problem…etc.
In Africa for instance a child dies every 3 minutes not because of a swine flu but of hunger or water shortages. Thousands of peoples dies and the miserable list of causes of death goes unnoticed.
I sometime think, the whole thing about swine flu is a deliberately developed man-made virus just to revive the ‘almost bankrupted’ pharmaceutical companies.
It can be downloaded from the Department of Information website -
http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/archive/swineflu/swine%20brochure.pdf
or else send an e-mail to info.doi@gov.mt and we will be only too happy to send a hard copy by mail.
Martin Bugelli
Director general (Information, Local Government and Public Consultation)
It's so easy to use, it's discreet and each member of the family can carry their own. It even comes in a nifty little container that can clip to your belt, which appeals to the youngsters.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people come out of the restrooms without washing their hands and that's just the unsanitary conditions any bug likes.
" Five important measures to avoid getting, or passing on, the H1N1 (swine flu) virus:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- Stay home if you are sick for seven days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. This is to keep from infecting others and spreading the virus further.
kindly note that, as Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly & Community Care Mario Galea mentioned during the press breifing, there is no need to panic.
Also, please note that a few simple precautions can avoid risks of influenza. These include, frequent washing of hands, remaining at home if sick, using a disposable tissue etc.
These precautions and relevant information can be obtained from the secretariats facebook group. Otherwise click on the following link:
http://www.health.gov.mt/dsu/Influenza%20A(H1N1)/swine_broch.pdf
There is also a helpline - 2132 4086 and an email - disease.surveillance@gov.mt which can be used in case you think you have the symptoms.
Feel free to email me should you need any other information.
Best regards
Gordon Pace
Communications Coordinator
Parliamentary Secretariat for the Elderly and Community Care
email - gordon.pace@gov.mt
And talking about it, is there any vaccine to be taken and prevent people from getting ill with this flu?
What do you expect, the authorities turn the airport into a hospital to check all the arrivals if they have Swine Flu? I travelled this week and no country checks arrivals for whatever disease or flu that they might have. Most European airports are over crowded. In Italy they didn't even check my passport to confirm if I was the owner of my ticket. So come on, don't exagerate things and start blaming our system. We have one of the best airports in the world.
Tonight Realta' will discuss the first cases in Malta on One TV 21.45pm.
Brian Hansford
Not everybody that coughs or sneezes spread only this disease, they may spread more dangerous viruses. No need to mention them.
Prosit tassew! hope every one reads & follow yr very useful comments/observations
g farrugia
Don't try to use politics from under the table.
XXXXXX
is it 2009 ...
what is malta's (eu country) time line ?????????????????????
WHAT A SHAME MALTA!
One thing I know for sure, is that there is no way I am rushing to take a vaccine against it.
http://www.health.gov.mt/dsu/index.htm
It's worth reading and browsing through it.
Some manners please and we'll not have spreads and these are applicable always even for common influenza.
When you sneeze cover your nose and don't cough in my face. Don't go out and spread the flu unless you absolutely have to. My greatest fear is going to pharmacies waiting for a doctor as there it's a guarantee to catch whatever is going around.. Cough, cough, sneeze sneeze and no sorry if you please!
Keep kids at home and don't go to work, sick kids shouldn't be in school but taken care of by loving parents, the cure is speedier and less spread to other children! Same for the workplace especially where staff is dealing with the public. Sick persons shouldn't stay in queues!
Common sense is not so common is it. I've been dying to say this for years!
Precautions are being taken, assistance is available....let's all be extra careful and heed the advice !
According to the WHO, there have been 332 deaths WORLDWIDE, out of 77,201 infections (as at 1st July).
Let's get a sense of perspective, everyone. It wasn't the sky falling down, it was an acorn.
Source: http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_07_01a/en/index.html
If everybody pulls the same rope and obey orders issued by the
health department, then we can control the Swine Flu. BUT if
everybody decides the 'Ala Bibu' policy then we get the worst of it.
For sure the Health Department is doing his best for the good of the
maltese people.
THEN LET'S MAKE COURAGE AND UNITE AND FIGHT THIS
SWINE FEVER
For once no POLITICS, please. This involves everybody of
any colour. Thank you in advance.
What people really need to do is re-learn basic hygiene, assuming that they ever knew it in the first place. I have lost count of the number of times I have seen people in restaurant rest-rooms, wedding venues, etc not even attempting to rinse their hands after coming out of a toilet cubicle, let alone washing them with soap if there is any. I never cease to be amazed. Apart from obviously being the source of many a germ, are these people not disgusted themselves?
Money is one of the fomites most likely to spread the disease. Any suspect currency would be gratefully accepted by the undersigned for safe disposal.
And there is no proof that GonziPN has any responsibility apart from the very adequate precautionary measures already taken.
- The incubation period is up to seven (7) days. I believe that news reports originally stated that the boy started showing symptoms more than seven days after leaving Malta, which is a different matter.
- It must be stressed that "covering one's mouth" means doing so with a tissue and disposing of it appropriately, rather than re-using it. "Covering one's mouth" (and nose, for that matter) with one's hand, as is usually the case, only helps to spread germs, especially since not many people are in the habit of washing their hands immediately after doing so.
"Apart from airborne droplets, influenza can be spread after a person touches a lift button, a phone, keyboard or door knob which had been touched by a sick person, and then touches his nose or mouth."
- Touching the eyes could also be a source of infection.