A 52-year-old non resident Indian, who was suspected to have contracted swine flu, died shortly after he was admitted to a hospital in Kerala's [ Images ] Kollam district on Wednesday night, a health official said on Thursday.

The throat swabs of Stanley Pelis, who arrived in Kerala two weeks ago from the United Kingdom, have been sent to the National Institute of Communicable diseases, New Delhi [ Images ], today morning. If confirmed, he would be the first victim of swine flu in the country.

Pelis, hailing from Kollam, was admitted to the Holy Cross Hospital at Kottiyam in the district with high fever and breathlessness at approximately 7 pm on Wednesday night and passed away at 9 pm, said medical director Dr K Shylaja.
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Breaking News:Bandar Seri Begawan – Swine flu claimed its first victim in Brunei today as a 12-year-old child died in the hospital this morning as the cases inched towards the 100 mark since the first outbreak here on June 20.

A Health Ministry press release said that laboratory tests confirmed that the child was tested positive for Influenza A (H1N1).

The ministry is investigating the background of the patient’s H1N1 infection.

The press statement added that the patient also had Auto-immune Hepatitis end stage liver failure and pneumonia and has been in critical condition since June 26.

The pandemic set another record here today as the most number of people so far in a day – 27 new ones – brought the total in the sultanate so far reached 93 cases. All these cases are being investigated, the ministry said.

A MAN with underlying medical conditions who died in a western Sydney hospital on Monday has tested positive to swine flu, NSW Health says.

The coroner was investigating the degree to which influenza A(H1N1) 09 might have contributed to the death, the Chief Health Officer, Kerry Chant, said yesterday.

The man, 45, who died in the intensive care unit at Nepean Hospital, is the 10th person with swine flu to die in Australia.

Dr Chant said the coroner would be asked to expedite the findings in case there were ramifications for the way health authorities were dealing with the influenza pandemic.

"Because of underlying medical conditions, this man was at greater risk of severe illness from H1N1 influenza 09," she said
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Angry relatives of an A/H1N1 flu patient who died "accidentally" Wednesday in east China's Zhejiang Province stormed the hospital where she died as they suspected electric shock caused her death.

More than 20 of the patient's relatives rushed into the No. 1 People's Hospital of Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou city, where the patient had been staying, and smashed the hall next to the gate and an ambulance with rocks. Glasses from the hall and flower terrace in front of the hospital were destroyed and the ambulance damaged.

The 34-year-old woman was found dead at 7:35 a.m. Wednesday in her ward lavatory at the No. 1 People's Hospital of Xiaoshan District in Hangzhou, the provincial capital, according to the Hangzhou municipal health bureau.

Local police and health authorities are still investigating the cause.

The patient was recovering as her temperature had been normal for a week. She coughed occasionally, but other flu symptoms had disappeared.

She was admitted to the hospital on June 23.
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TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan confirmed its first case of a genetic mutation of the new strain of influenza H1N1 showing resistance to the antiviral drug Tamiflu, said on Thursday an official from the Ministry of Health.

Takeshi Enami said the patient's sensitivity to Tamiflu has yet to be proven.

The patient, who was confirmed in May with the new strain of H1N1 flu in Osaka prefecture in western Japan, has recovered since then and no other patients around him has been reported, said Enami.

Did not confirm the age or sex of the patient.

(Reporting by Yoko Kubota; Edited by Silene Ramirez in Spanish)

More than 99 percent of the seasonal H1N1 viruses have shown resistance to Tamiflu, which has been considered one of the first-line drugs for this strain in prior years.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee has found drug resistance in all but one of the anti-viral drugs used for influenza-like illness, “whether the infection is caused by a seasonal virus or the pandemic H1N1 virus.” (Emphasis added)

Since spring, SmithGlaxoKline, manufacturer of Relenza, has reported “ample” supplies of the drug through company statements and news stories.

What Can You Do?


■Report flu-like symptoms to your doctor right away to determine what is appropriate for you.

■If your doctor tells you to take antiviral medication, you should start it right away.
■According to the CDC advisory panel, only one medication is effective with this year’s influenza-like illnesses. The drug brand name is Relenza.

■Consult the CDC Swine Flu section on its Home Page, which has advice for patients and those who care for them at home.

Medpage Today

“Zanamivir (Relenza), a neuraminidase inhibitor, should be the preferred treatment for patients with influenza-like illness, whether infection is caused by a seasonal virus or the pandemic H1N1 virus, an advisory committee to the CDC said. (Emphasis added)

“Even if laboratory tests are negative but flu is still suspected, zanamivir should be used when antiviral treatment is considered, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices agreed here.

“Oseltamivir (Tamiflu), another neuraminidase inhibitor, could be used in case of a test that’s positive for seasonal influenza A H3N2 or B, or for pandemic influenza A H1N1, although more than 99% of the seasonal H1N1 viruses were resistant to the drug, the committee noted.

“The recommendations were based on testing for antiviral resistance, which found that all strains recently isolated, including the new H1N1, were susceptible to zanamivir.

“Researchers found varying levels of resistance to the adamantanes, rimantadine and amantadine.”

“The recommendations, which will be published in an upcoming issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, stressed that treatment should start as soon as possible for patients needing treatment.” ( Emphasis added)

Source: Medpage Today, June 29, 2009

Citation: CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Publication Pending.
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Argentina and Chile are considered to be the nations with the highest number of fatal victims (55 in Argentina, and 15 in Chile) regarding the number of contagions, for what both Governments increase the joint efforts to face to the pandemic, worsened by the seasonal flu that strikes the southern hemisphere during these months.

Our Country, has moved forward (and extended) the winter holidays in schools and universities.

Claudio Zin, Minister of Health of the province of Buenos Aires, said that “The peak of the epidemic is expected within two weeks, in addition to this evil, there are five or six viruses circulating in the country, in reference to the winter season.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio — A southwestern Ohio man died from the H1N1 influenza virus, the Ohio Department of Health confirmed Thursday.

The man, whose name was not immediately released, died on Monday. He was in his 40s, according to the ODH.

The death was the first in the state linked to the pandemic strain of influenza. Health officials said that the man had underlying health problems that may have contributed to his death.
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Originally posted by JBA2848
Swine Flu Monitor: CDC Will Report Only Relenza Effective Against H1N1 Virus

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Since spring, SmithGlaxoKline, manufacturer of Relenza, has reported “ample” supplies of the drug through company statements and news stories.

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The Ministry of Health of El Salvador today on a death that could be associated with the influenza virus H1N1.
The victim is a child of nine years. The health authorities explained that a resident in the municipality of Guangzhou City and San Salvador Delgado died in a private hospital under the diagnosis of pneumonia.

Health confirm whether this is a case of H1N1 after various examinations during the day or tomorrow.

Yesterday, the number of people with the virus rose to 276 confirmed cases across the country. In less than 24 hours were added 23 new cases.

The Health Report also records five probable cases and 86 suspects, including students of the Academy of Public Security.

The number of contacts that remain are monitoring 178. They ask people not to buy Tamiflu without a prescription.

According to the World Health Organization, we are in the stage 6 for pandemic influenza A virus H1N1.

According to the latest update of the WHO, there are 77.201 cases, concentrated in 121 countries.

VERO BEACH, FL — Thirteen inmates at the Indian River County Correctional Institution have contracted swine flu.

Officials confirmed Wednesday the inmates had the H1N1 flu virus, said Michele Kiesel, Indian River Health Department nursing supervisor. Officials of neither the health department nor the Florida Department of Corrections, which runs the correctional institution for youthful male offenders, know how the inmates picked up the virus.

“Oftentimes, it’s brought in from outside,” said Gretl Plessinger, Department of Corrections spokeswoman.

Only three of the inmates had active symptoms Thursday, Plessinger said. No case was life-threatening, but one inmate is receiving medical care at a separate facility Plessinger declined to name.

All the sick inmates lived in the same dorm, Plessinger said. That dorm is under restrictions to contain the virus, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s instructions for correctional facilities.

Swine flu is a novel strain of influenza that emerged this spring in Mexico. Though it spread in epidemic proportions across the globe and caused hundreds of deaths, the H1N1 virus has proved to be a less virulent strain in the U.S. than originally feared.

Indian River County has had three confirmed cases of swine flu. Martin County Health Department has confirmed five cases, and St. Lucie County has had no confirmed cases.

Health officials say basic hygiene is the best defense against any flu virus. Anyone who develops symptoms should try to stay home for at least seven days, even if symptoms disappear.
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