British Virgin Islands

Prev    Next BVI authorities keep close eye on H1N1 transmission trends Published on Friday, June 26, 2009 Email To Friend    Print Version TORTOLA, BVI -- Local health and disaster management authorities in the British Virgin Islands continue to pay close attention to the transmission patterns of Influenza A (H1N1) virus around the world, with particular emphasis on what has been happening with the virus across the Caribbean. Acting Chief Executive Officer of the BVI Health Services Authority, Dr Ronald Georges According to data from the World Health Organisation, nine countries in the region have reported confirmed cases of the virus. Besides the Territory other affected Caribbean states are Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Jamaica, the Netherland Antilles, and Trinidad and Tobago. Most of the H1N1 cases in the Caribbean to date were reported in Trinidad and Tobago where 25 cases have been confirmed, Jamaica with 19, and Cuba where a total of 15 cases have been confirmed. In the BVI, the first confirmed case of H1N1 was reported on Wednesday, 10 June. Meantime Acting Chief Executive Officer of the BVI Health Services Authority Dr Ronald Georges is confirming that a second specimen that was sent from the Territory to the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre for testing returned positive, and that the patient is a 27-year-old man with travel history from Florida. Dr Georges said the illness was mild and that the patient, who did not require treatment with Tamiflu, has already recovered. Authorities have also reminded residents that there is a possibility that other specimens from the Territory will test positive for H1N1. Of the 55,867 confirmed cases around the world, the World Health Organisation statistics show that most of the cases have been reported in the United States of America where 21,449 confirmed H1N1 cases have been diagnosed. Authorities in the BVI continue to advise people in the Territory to practice good personal hygiene, especially during the summer months when there will be a marked upsurge in travel to and from the Territory. “A lot of college and university students will be returning home for the summer, along with the persons who are leaving the Territory for vacation and other reasons. We are therefore reminding the public to practice good hygiene,” noted the Director of Disaster Management Sharleen DaBreo. The Director of Disaster Management also noted that persons should exercise care during the upcoming Emancipation Festival season when the customary mass gatherings will occur. “We are also appealing to persons who will be hosting summer programmes for children to practice good hygiene at all times,” said DaBreo. The 2009 outbreak is a pandemic of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 identified in April 2009. It is thought to be a mutation of four known strains of influenza A virus subtype H1N1: one endemic in humans, one endemic in birds, and two endemic in pigs. Most cases throughout the world have so far been mild relative to seasonal flu.   Reads : 934   Prev    Next

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