Toddler contracts swine flu

A nine-month-old baby boy from Gozo is among five new swine flu cases, raising the total to 60.

The Health Department said two male teenagers, aged 13 and 18, from Gozo were also found to be infected with the virus. The two other patients were Maltese women who recently returned from Cyprus and the UK.

In line with a new policy announced on Wednesday, only vulnerable groups are being tested as people showing the flu symptoms are immediately being prescribed Tamiflu. No tests were carried out on Wednesday evening.

Seven people who contracted the H1N1 virus last week have recovered and returned to their normal routine. There were another four people who had already recovered and were released from quarantine on Wednesday. The health authorities said all the cases were mild and no one was being kept in hospital.

On Wednesday, the National Pandemic Committee took its plan to a new level when it decided to start focusing on reducing the impact the illness had on patients rather than trying to contain its spread.

In line with World Health Organisation guidelines, only patients in vulnerable groups were being swabbed. The Health Department again appealed for people who experienced the symptoms to stay at home and call the family doctor.

The Għarb local council had strong words against the media accusing it of disseminating information, which, given the size of the village, made patients there easily identifiable.