More cases of A-H1N1 virus recorded in Grenada
From Caribbean360
With the Christmas season approaching, the health ministry appealed to members of the public to take responsibility for their health and limit the spread of disease.
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, Tuesday December 3, 2013, CMC – Less than a month after recording its first case of the A-HINI virus, health authorities in Grenada say the island has now recorded two more positive cases.
The Ministry of Health said that the two new cases were confirmed by the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).
Chief Medical Officer Dr George Mitchell said since the first confirmed case on November 5, several samples were sent for testing but had returned negative
However, Dr Mitchell said the two new cases were from the latest batch sent to CARPHA for testing and that health officials have since stepped up their activities to do what is necessary and practical in the public’s interest.
Seasonal influenza can cause mild to severe illness and at times can lead to death. It is characterized by symptoms such as a sudden high fever, cough (usually dry), headache, muscle and joint pain, severe malaise (feeling unwell), sore throat and runny nose.
Meanwhile, the health ministry said with the Christmas Season approach, it was appealing to the members of the public to take responsibility for their health and limit the spread of diseases by practicing proper hygiene.
In September, CARPHA sought to quell fears of an outbreak of the deadly HINI influenza virus, erroneously referred to as Bird Flu, in the region, noting that the Caribbean, like other regions in the Americas, experiences seasonal influenza activity.
In a statement, CARPHA said that improved health monitoring by the ministries of health “is providing more timely and detailed information on viruses currently circulating in the region.”
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