Most of the swine flu cases detected in Sri Lanka are persons who have come from Australia, Britain and the United States, say health officials, adding that persons arriving or returning from overseas should try to avoid crowded places for at least a week after their arrival.
Bandaranaike International Airport health officer Dr. Gamini Jayasekara said the majority of the H1N1 patients were students who had gone overseas for studies. There had also been cases of transit passengers with the flu.
Dr. Jayasekara said the screening process at the airport had been tightened with the increased incidence of H1N1 influenza in neighbouring countries, such as India and Bangladesh. Visitors from Australia, Britain and the United States were also considered potential carriers of H1N1.
According to Dr. A. Balasuriya, consultant community physician of the Health Education Bureau, newly arrived persons in the country should report to the nearest government hospital in case they develop a fever within a week of arrival. Social distancing is highly advisable for at least week, he said.
“We cannot restrict the movement of people, but we can raise awareness of ways to check the spread of swine flu,” he said.
“Every person arriving or returning to the country from overseas should stay at home for a few days. If you develop a high temperature, you should immediately seek treatment at a government hospital. The medicines to combat H1N1 influenza are available only in state sector hospitals.”
Dr. Anura Senanayake, medical superintendent at the Fever Hospital in Angoda, said the hospital was treating 70 confirmed H1N1 influenza cases.
Around 50 per cent of the persons coming from overseas detected with H1N1 have come from Australia, the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Dubai, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
Swine flu symptoms include fever, coughing, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Diarrhoea and vomiting are also associated with H1N1.
A total of 177,457 cases of H1N1 have been reported worldwide, with 1,462 deaths.
Asian countries most seriously affected by the flu are India, Thailand, Indonesia Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
India best avoided for now, say health officials
Health officials advise Sri Lankans to try to avoid visiting countries affected by the H1N1 influenza. They note that India has reported 1,390 cases of swine flu, with 21 deaths recorded so far.
A senior official attached to the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health said: “We are not against international travel, nor are we saying don’t go to India, but non-essential travel should be avoided because of the current H1N1 flu risk.”
Maharashtra state, Mumbai, and Pune are the areas most badly affected in India. Pune is the country’s worst affected area, accounting for 13 of the country’s 21 deaths from swine flu.
Several schools and shopping centres in Mumbai have been temporarily closed. |
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