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A quarantine official checks the temperatures of arriving passengers at Narita international airport, east of Tokyo - Source: Reuters -
Related
The World Health Organisation says a new type of swine flu that
has killed more than 80 people in Mexico and infected about a dozen
people in the United States has the potential to become a
pandemic.
The following is the situation in countries worldwide and
some of the precautionary steps being taken.
Middle East:
- Middle East countries should monitor closely travellers arriving
from the United States and Mexico for signs of the virus but it was
not necessary to impose quarantine on all incoming travellers from
there, a WHO official said.
- Countries should take the same precautions as they had against
the avian flu virus and check their stocks of Tamiflu, said Hussein
Gezairy, regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean region at
the WHO.
- United Arab Emirates has a stock of one million capsules of
Tamiflu which is enough for about 40,000 people if there were an
outbreak of swine flu, said Ali Al Marzouki, director of Public
Health affairs at the Dubai Health Authority.
- UAE was also considering banning imports of all pork products
from Mexico and the United States.
Russia:
- Russia imposed curbs on meat imports from Mexico, a number of US
states and the Caribbean, the chief veterinarian, Nikolai Vlasov,
told Reuters.
- Medical teams were posted at Russian international airports to
monitor flu-like symptoms among passengers arriving in Russia from
Mexico, the United States and Canada, said chief public health
official Gennady Onishchenko.
Spain:
- Authorities isolated three people and placed them under
round-the-clock observation in hospital after they arrived from
Mexico suffering with symptoms of influenza.
- Health Minister Trinidad Jimenez said it would take about 48
hours to establish whether the three were suffering from the swine
flu virus.
- Flights to Mexico were being equipped with supplies of face masks
and gloves.
France:
- Public health officials have been placed on alert. Crisis unit
set up at Health Ministry to monitor situation.
- Four people, including three from the same family, were being
checked after arriving from Mexico with suspicious symptoms. The
results of tests were expected within next 24 hours.
- Two previous cases have been ruled out after tests.
Britain:
- Authorities were confident that people who had been travelling
and had flu-like symptoms could be examined very, very quickly,
Health Secretary Alan Johnson said.
- Britain has antiviral stockpiles to provide treatment for 50% of
the population should they become ill.
Austria:
- Health ministry said under a 2005 contingency plan Austria has
stocks of antiviral drugs sufficient to treat four million people
(half the population), and has secured production capacity for
prophylactic vaccines for the entire population.
- It has also stockpiled eight million protective
masks.
Czech Republic:
- The country has stocks of two million doses of Tamiflu, enough to
treat a fifth of the population, chief public health official
Michael Vit said.
Italy:
- Producers of Italy's Parma ham reassured consumers that
their produce was safe to eat.
Denmark:
- Denmark was well prepared for a pandemic outbreak, Else Smith,
Director of the National Centre of Health Promotion and Disease
Prevention, said.
- A general pandemic plan was in place since bird flu scare.
- Authorities were monitoring events and stockpiled
Tamiflu.
Greece:
- Country has strategic stocks of Tamiflu and other antivirus
medicine, said the head of National Health operation centre,
Panagiotis Efstathiou.
Germany:
- No travel warning issued about Mexico, the German Foreign
Ministry said.
- A note about swine flu danger in Mexico had been posted on
ministry's website.
Central America:
- Countries have ramped up border and airport checks.
- In Panama, airport officials are screening the 40-odd flights a
day from Mexico. Health officials in El Salvador at the borders
with Guatemala and Honduras are watching for flu cases. Nicaragua's
health ministry declared a health alert.
Argentina:
- The health ministry urged crew members and passengers on
flights from Mexico to advise immediately if they have any flu-like
symptoms. It is also asking people who have travelled to Mexico
recently and feel sick to inform a doctor.
- The ministry ordered the Argentine health system to watch for an
increase in respiratory illnesses and promote vaccinations and
preventive hygiene habits among health workers and the general
population.
Brazil:
- Brazil's government plans to monitor passengers arriving from
Mexico and the United States. Crew members were asked to discuss
flu-like symptoms with passengers during flights and travellers are
required to advise local authorities immediately if any symptom is
noted.
Chile:
- Chile's government is scanning all passengers arriving by plane
from Mexico and the United States for signs of fever. It is still
checking one possible suspected case but has ruled out two
others.
- The health ministry has also warned against travel to Mexico and
the United States, and border officials are on alert to monitor
passengers arriving by land for flu-like symptoms.
Colombia:
- Authorities have increased monitoring and preventative controls
at hospitals, ports and Bogota's main airport, especially for
people arriving from Mexico City, Texas and California, the Social
Protection Ministry said.
Ecuador:
- The government says it will carry out medical checks on people
with flu symptoms arriving via air and sea from countries hit by
swine flu. Health officials have also put hospitals on alert to
monitor for flu cases.
Peru:
- Peru's health ministry reinforced airport controls to detect if
someone with flu symptoms was entering the country.
Venezuela:
- Venezuela said it will boost health controls at airports to
prevent the contagion from spreading and recommended that
Venezuelans avoid travel to the United States and Mexico due to the
outbreak.
Have you been affected by the swine influenza? Are you a
relative of one of the people affected? Email us at
news@tvnz.co.nz
.
Got an opinion on this new health concern? Share your
thoughts on the message board below.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentalwyn said on 2009-06-18 @ 14:34 NZDT: Report abusive post
The general flu causes between 200,000 and 250,000 deaths p.a world wide. Swine flu has caused only a fraction of this number in proportion. There is a temporary cure i.e. Tami flu until a vaccine is produced for H1N1 flu. I don't understand what all the fuss is about?
Janey said on 2009-06-16 @ 09:36 NZDT: Report abusive post
I think NZ media and health service has been far too blase about this outbreak. The UK's BBC news website has been reporting symptoms and PREVENTION for weeks and has an excellent outbreak map, which clearly shows quick acceleration of the virus. The UK's health service posted information leaflets to every home WEEKS ago. My husband works in a a business where the workers come into contact with lots tourists - they only just received a booklet on the virus 2 days ago. NZ, get with the programme!
skeptic said on 2009-06-16 @ 07:57 NZDT: Report abusive post
Thank you Mark Sainsbury for telling us the symptoms, and debunking the mythology. Many of us did not even know that we probably have the swine flu which is probably now widespread in our community. It was clear from the outset that authorities were not taking the drastic steps necessary to contain an epidemic. Since they have created an elaborate ritual to prove that they have done everything possible ... Thank God this was not a SERIOUS pandemic.
FightFlu said on 2009-05-04 @ 23:41 NZDT: Report abusive post
I absolutely agree Tis, this particular virus could have been a lot worse. Due to information technology these days we have highly accessible and up to date information to keep us informed, and with knowledge is power. As long as the people remain calm, and keep informed we should be able to keep the Swine Flu at a safe distance.
Tis said on 2009-05-02 @ 11:33 NZDT: Report abusive post
This scare could perhaps prepare us well for a more severe future pandemic - e.g. Ok, so all the focus is on Tamiflu - but what about ensuring enough antibiotics to treat secondary infections from a new influenca - and do we have enough of those machines in hospitals to help people breath when they are in acute respiratory distress - lets hope so!