Source: http://www.caribbean360.com/News/Caribbean/Stories/2009/04/27/NEWS0000007243.html        
  
Bridgetown, Barbados, April 27, 2009 (caribbean360.com)- Caribbean health officials are monitoring an outbreak of a new swine flu virus that has been suspected of over 100 deaths in Mexico and prompted a public health emergency to be declared in the United States.

So far, as many as 103 people have died in Mexico where it was first reported and it is suspected they were infected, but only 20 of the deaths have so far been confirmed as caused by the new strain of swine flu. There have been 20 confirmed cases in the US, six in neighbouring Canada and one in Spain, while tests are also being carried out on individuals or groups in New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Britain and Israel who fell ill following travel to Mexico. (Caribean360.com File photo)

The Pan America Health Organisation (PAHO) has described the situation as "a public health emergency of international concern" and said it is organising a briefing for Ministers of Health of member nations which include Caribbean nations. No travel or trade restrictions have been announced.

But the government of the Caribbean country of Belize, which shares a border with Mexico, has issued a travel advisory for persons visiting the neighbouring country.

Health Minister Pablo Marin said in a statement issued on Saturday that the local authorities were stepping up surveillance across the country in order to detect cases but said none have so far been detected.

"The public is strongly encouraged not to travel to the areas affected if it could be avoided," the statement said, adding that Belizeans travelling through Mexico, or who recently travelled to that country and are showing any signs and symptoms of influenza to visit the nearest Government Health Centre or their health care provider.

Other regional countries are also on alert, increasing health checks for persons who arrive from infected countries.

Swine flu is a respiratory disease, caused by the type-A H1N1 flu virus, which infects pigs and does not normally infect humans, although sporadic cases do occur - usually in people who have had close contact with pigs. Three have been rare cases of human-to-human transmission, spread in the same way as seasonal flu - through coughing and sneezing. But in this latest outbreak, the disease is being passed from person to person.

Swine flu has not been shown to be transmissible to people through eating properly handled and prepared pork or other products derived from pigs.

Symptoms in humans appear to be similar to those produced by standard, seasonal flu, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue.

So far, as many as 103 people have died in Mexico where it was first reported and it is suspected they were infected, but only 20 of the deaths have so far been confirmed as caused by the new strain of swine flu. There have been 20 confirmed cases in the US, six in neighbouring Canada and one in Spain, while tests are also being carried out on individuals or groups in New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Britain and Israel who fell ill following travel to Mexico.

Most of the people have died in Mexico are young adults and the World Bank is providing the country with more than US$200 million in loans to help it deal with the outbreak.

World Health Organisation (WHO) experts will meet in Geneva tomorrow to discuss whether to raise the pandemic alert level.

But it has suggested that the world is better prepared to deal with this situation.

"Today, countries worldwide are better prepared because of past achievements - such as improved surveillance, data collection, prepositioning of antiviral and other supplies, response plans and drills - in preparedness for pandemic influenza. All of these efforts are being put to good use; the rapid response of countries worldwide is evidence of this," it said in a statement.

There is currently no vaccine for the new strain of flu but severe cases can be treated with antiviral medication.

WHAT IS SWINE FLU?

Swine flu viruses typically sicken pigs, not humans. Most cases occur when people come in contact with infected pigs or contaminated objects moving from people to pigs.

. Pigs can catch human and avian or bird flu. When flu viruses from different species infect pigs, they can mix inside the pig and new, mixed viruses can emerge.

. Pigs can pass mutated viruses back to humans and they can be passed from human to human. Transmission among humans is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu - by touching something with flu viruses and then touching their mouth or nose, and through coughing or sneezing.

. Symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to those of seasonal influenza - sudden fever, coughing, muscle aches and extreme fatigue. This new strain also appears to cause more diarrhea and vomiting than normal flu.

. Vaccines are available to be given to pigs to prevent swine influenza. There is no vaccine to protect humans from swine flu although the CDC is formulating one. The seasonal influenza vaccine may help provide partial protection against swine H3N2, but not swine H1N1 viruses, like the one circulating now.

. People cannot catch swine flu from eating pork or pork products. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.