News
Lion Air passengers suffering from Influenza A; no other virus
A 71-year-old Lion Air passenger who was admitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) in Angoda, has tested positive for Influenza A and no other virus and is recovering, a high-level health official said. His son who was also ill and admitted to the IDH has recovered and would be discharged shortly.
Two Indonesians had already died when the charter plane was diverted to Sri Lanka for an emergency landing enroute to Indonesia. Their bodies, which were brought to the Negombo Hospital, were later handed over to Indonesian embassy official. The remains were to be sent back to their home country. No autopsy was carried out in Sri Lanka. The two patients at the IDH and the two deceased passengers had gone on pilgrimage and were returning to Indonesia.
The elderly patient remains intubated and in isolation but is getting better, Health Services Director-General Dr. Anil Jasinghe told the Sunday Times.
Lion Air Flight JT85 which left Saudi Arabia for Indonesia made the emergency landing at the Bandaranaike International Airport on January 13.
The news of the emergency landing over a health issue created some concerns in Sri Lanka, in the light of illnesses such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS); Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the new coronavirus identified in Wuhan, China. With regard to influenza viruses, the World Health Organisation (WHO) states that they are classified into types A, B and C, with only types A and B causing human disease of any concern.
“An acute respiratory infection of varying severity, ranging from asymptomatic infection to fatal disease, the typical influenza symptoms include fever with abrupt onset, chills, sore throat and non-productive cough. It is often accompanied by headache, coryza (catarrhal inflammation of the mucous membrane in the nose), myalgia (muscle pain) and prostration (weakness and exhaustion),” states the WHO.
While respiratory transmission occurs mainly by droplets through unprotected coughs and sneezes, short-distance airborne transmission of influenza viruses may occur, particularly in crowded enclosed spaces. Hand contamination and direct inoculation of virus is another possible source of transmission, it is learnt.
This illness, meanwhile, tends to be most severe in the elderly, infants and young children and those who are immune-compromised. Death resulting from seasonal influenza occurs mainly in the elderly and in individuals with pre-existing chronic diseases, the WHO adds.