Head
of the Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit – Ministry of Health and
Social Security, Dr. Alistair Antoine, told the Government Information
Services (GIS) that, despite reports in St. Vincent there have been no
confirmed cases of the virus in Grenada.
“So there is no need for panic. - We have been in discussions with the Caribbean
Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and we can safely say that there are
absolutely no confirmed case of the Influenza A - H1N1 virus present in
Grenada at this time”.
“St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a stone’s throw away but such a report warrants no unnecessary panic and hype”, he remarked. When
asked about the public’s expectations, Antoine said the hype now should
and always be the practice of personal hygiene - by covering their
mouth with a tissue or handkerchief if sneezing or coughing, washing of
hands before and after meal preparation, eating and use of the toilets
with soap and clean running water or an alcohol based hand-sanitizer.
He said such practices are known to have reduced the risk of transmission of the virus. Meanwhile
the Ministry of Health has activated its pandemic response plan and has
taken steps to prevent the spread of the virus should it come to that.
It includes the stepping up of our active monitoring and surveillance
systems at our ports of entry.
The flu can make chronic health problems worse. For example, people
with asthma may experience asthma attacks while they have the flu, and
people with chronic congestive heart failure may experience a worsening
of this condition that is triggered by the flu. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the list below includes the groups of people more likely to get flu-related complications if they get sick from influenza:
- Asthma
- Chronic lung disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Heart disease (congenital/coronary artery heart disease, congestive heart failure)
- Blood disorders (such as sickle cell disease)
- Endocrine disorders (such as diabetes mellitus
- Kidney disorders
- Liver disorders
- Weakened immune system due to disease or medication (such as people with HIV or AIDS, or cancer)
Central Health Initiative - Grenada will continue to monitor this developing story.
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