No explanation forthcoming on swine flu statement u-turn
The health authorities are refusing to disclose what led them to issue an incorrect statement that a 32-year-old swine flu victim suffered from a condition that may have aggravated chest infections.
When contacted yesterday healthcare director general Ray Busuttil said: "We had information and due to our promise (to inform the public) we passed it on. After some time, more information came through that changed the position we had transmitted initially and we passed it on correctly. That was the situation - no more, no less. I have no further comments to make on the case.
"I am not hiding anything but protecting the confidentiality of the patient. It's easier for me to say what the exact case was but I'm bound by respect for the patient," he said.
Last Monday, the health authorities issued a statement through the Department of Information informing the public that Justin Chircop died of "complications from the A H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus". The department added that the victim suffered from a condition that could exacerbate chest infections.
But last Thursday the health authorities issued a second statement, seemingly contradicting the one circulated by the DOI.
Following an autopsy it emerged that Mr Chircop, the fourth person to die of swine flu in Malta, had no other illnesses and had succumbed to a severe attack of swine flu.
This meant that Mr Chircop, a popular radio deejay, was the first Maltese swine flu fatality not to have been in the "vulnerable group" because the other three all had underlying conditions that could aggravate the illness.
When contacted, Dr Busuttil said the health authorities had never said Mr Chircop had one of the conditions that would have put him in the vulnerable group - which include the elderly, pregnant women and children under five.
"He was never one of the people who fell within the vulnerable group... Our message is that the case of Justin Chircop shows that the influenza can impact people who are not in this group. This is not just in Malta but across the world and, as health authorities, we were expecting that we'd have such a death," he said.
He said Mr Chircop's death did not mean that swine flu had become more dangerous. The health authorities had always said that healthy individuals were also at risk. Worldwide, between 20 and 50 per cent of swine flu victims were perfectly healthy before they died.
Dr Busuttil added that complications due to swine flu could arise for several reasons. People could get a bad bout of the infection or develop more symptoms.
He urged people to follow the advice given by the health authorities to take the swine flu vaccine, stay indoors if they had flu-like symptoms and stay in touch with their doctor if symptoms persisted.
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maria aquilina
Jan 4th 2010, 23:22
Is it true that when Justin was tested for swine flu the result came out negative on two occassions and it was on the third time that it came out positive? So if the patient was tested negative he must have contacted got the virus from hospital or else it was a case of misdiagnosis. If the right treatment was given early maybe things would have turned ouy otherwise. It is being said that Justin came in as a walking case to casualty,wa triaged and waited for four hours before he was attended to.Also the person who accompanied him brought to the attention of the nurses in casualty that Justin had shortness of breath and still left him waiting.I hope that this is not true.After being examined he was taken to the Intensive Care Unit. His condition must have deteriorated while waiting in Casualty.
A Cassar
Jan 3rd 2010, 21:54
@Marianna Galea Xuereb Data protection is a human right, it is NOT for you to decide to take it away from anyone. And, just in case you don't know, the data protection act does NOT prohibit information that would safeguard you from reaching you (as in health and crime). But, it is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS what underlying disease the doctors thought this young man had.....what information was given to the public was that this man died of swine flu with no other underlying disease. Other details regarding the case is none of your business because it does not effect you in the least!!!!!
Marianna Galea Xuereb
Jan 3rd 2010, 21:24
@L. Attard Li kien ghalija id-Data Protection Act tithassar kollha u tigi abolita. Nixtieq nista’ nikteb ezatt x’jidhirli li l-awtoritajiet u l- legislaturi ghandhom jaghmlu b’din il-ligi kif ukoll b’regolamenti ohra li jillimitaw id-drittijiet ghal informazzjoni shieha, izda ninsab certa li higi iccensurata. Kull regolament li jillimita id-dritt ghal informazzjoni shieha fejn jidhlu kwistjonijiet ta’ sahha u kriminalita huwa abuz serju anke jekk sfortunatament gie legalizzat f’dan il-mishut pajjiz.
Lina Caruana
Jan 3rd 2010, 18:43
Out of respect for this splendid young person follow the dignity of the loving salute his family gave him ,to give them also some peace and tranquility after such a troubled time and trials. May the Lord gather Justin in His Loving arms and provide solace for his loved ones God Bless Justin and all his family.
Danika Vella
Jan 3rd 2010, 16:28
Should such a mistake (which has been explained and accounted for) be repeatedly told and re-told? as if no one makes mistakes. I'm sure no one saw that coming... ie that a perfectly healthy person could succumb to the swine flu as did the young Justin, God bless his soul. I'm sure that from now on, everyone will be on the alert for the symptoms of influenza... but there is absolutely no need to keep on digging into this, especially when an explanation has been given.
L. Attard
Jan 3rd 2010, 16:04
Hlief paprati ma tismax ! U d-Data Protection fejn qeghda?
John Agius
Jan 3rd 2010, 13:19
To say “…the fourth person to die of swine flu in Malta, had no other illnesses …” may be inappropriate as much as it can be true. The fact is that “We don’t know what we don’t know.”
There can easily be vulnerable conditions other than those listed by the health authorities. There can be instances where an illness can lead to currently unknown conditions leading to complications, solutions of which are not yet known, or other complications we are not yet equipped with a known mitigation action. This explains the fact that we need to be vigilant at all times. In the course of the unknown there are always possibilities of unidentified risks.
Rather than criticising the health authorities we need to continuously identify possible lessons to be learned and implement the appropriate corrective actions in good time to minimize the possibility of unfortunate fatalities.
In the circumstances, vaccinating after February appears to be a bit late. It would be wise for the authorities to speed up the delivery of the next lot to an earlier date and before the winter season is over.
TANYA CAMILLERI HABER
Jan 3rd 2010, 12:39
Children under two years of age are to be given the vaccine immediately since they are most vulnerable (originally these were considered as part of the vulnerable group - I cannot understand how this has now changed) and have to be administered the vaccine in two jabs. Hope Health Authorities take this seriously!!!!!!!!!!!!! And not leave it too late when all our toddlers have already taken the flu. The next lot is due at the end of February - does it make any sense!!!!!
Patrick Formosa
Jan 3rd 2010, 12:14
i would have been shocked if he did give you the reasons! Such questions should not be asked. This a private and personal matter.
J.Cooper
Jan 3rd 2010, 12:13
I am still surprised that kids under 5 are considered as "vulnerable", yet they were not part of the first group to be given the swine flu vaccine. Perhaps the 100K batch will not be enough to cover them as well as they need two doses!!!
Gerard Cassar
Jan 3rd 2010, 11:47
Do people who succomb to flu of whatever kind are subject to an autopsy?
An autopsy as far as is known is carried out on corpses that the cause of death is unknown or due to some sort of violence.
Andre Bugeja
Jan 3rd 2010, 11:39
In fewer terms, swine flu can kill you, irrespective if you are healthy or not. So people if you are sick STAY AT HOME. I go in public places, bus, offices and schools... people cough, sneeze everywhere! Let go the myth "Ghalaq it-tieqa ghax tiehu rieh" you catch a cold, or worse a bad bug like the influenza, because someone passes it on to you, FULL STOP.
c.scerri
Jan 3rd 2010, 11:24
As usual, I think that people are causing storms in a teacup!
I think that Ray Busuttil was very clear - the initial impression of the doctors treating the case was that this person might have had an underlying cause but that on autopsy it was revelaed that this underlying cause (id it existed played no part in the demise of the patient. As medicine is not an exact science, these things happen! Journalists should accept that as well as to respect a private person's privacy.
Manuel Micallef
Jan 3rd 2010, 11:10
skoss tahwid bhas-soltu - anke fuw affarijiet li m'ghandux ikun hemm tahwid, qd jivvintawh