News
Flu cases on way down
The Health Ministry said the seasonal influenza that had become an epidemic in recent months, claiming 44 lives, is subsiding and that patients reporting to hospital with the flu symptoms have decreased.
A patient undergoing treatment at the Vavuniya Hospital. Pic by Priyantha Hewage
The Epidemiology Unit (EU) of the Health Ministry said that although four more deaths were reported last week – and one is a confirmed H1N1 flu virus case – the number of patients reporting with the respiratory symptoms have gone down considerably.
An EU Senior Researcher said the unit decided to stop giving the anti-viral drug Oseltamivir to everyone coming to hospital out-patient departments with the symptoms. The treatment would be given only to those reporting with severe respiratory illnesses. He pointed out there was a risk in people developing a resistance to the drug if it was indiscriminately administered. Patients in intensive care, pregnant mothers and those afflicted with pneumonia would still be given the drug.
The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) said casualties were high this flu season and that the EU needed assistance in containing the outbreak. Dr. Naveen de Zoyza said the GMOA has offered help to the EU to combat the spread of the illness. “We should join hands,” he said.
The 44 fatalities reported to date by the EU include five children and 10 pregnant women.Lady Ridgeway Hospital Director Dr. Kumara Wickramasinghe confirmed that cases reporting with H1N1 symptoms to the hospital were decreasing. Statistics show 430 patients reported to the hospital OPD in May with the flu symptoms, with one confirmed case; in June, 283 patients reported, with nine confirmed cases of H1N1.
Dr. Wickramasinghe said 129 patients were admitted and treated in hospital in May while in June, 166 patients were treated. “Anyone with severe respiratory illness was hospitalised and treated,” he said.
