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The spread of the H1N1 virus to 74 countries, including India, has raised the alert level sounded by the world health body, which is a signal to governments to intensify efforts to deal with the disease
On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organisation officially declared that the swine flu outbreak had become a pandemic. Usually a disease is rated a pandemic when it has spread fast to several countries, not necessarily because of increased severity of the disease. Swine flu, or the H1N1 virus, has spread to 74 countries including India with 30,000 cases being reported worldwide though experts say hundreds of thousands of people may be infected. Some 141 death have been reported so far. Dr Margaret Chan, head of the WHO, said that “further spread is considered inevitable”. Since the virus first struck in April 2009, in Mexico, the level of alert has consistently risen and was at level 5 until raised to the highest level 6 on June 11. This is a signal to countries around the world to step up their efforts to deal with the disease. It is also a signal to pharmaceutical companies to intensify efforts to start making a vaccine, efforts for which are underway and expected to be ready by September. The WHO has not however recommended closing borders or restricting travel. The disease has been relatively mild so far. However experts say that as it spreads to less developed countries with higher rates of malnutrition, AIDS and other diseases that can lower people’s resistance to infection, it could take on a more severe form. Even in developed countries the virus can cause severe and sometimes fatal illness in pregnant women, babies and people with underlying problems like asthma, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and autoimmune diseases. Dr Thomas R Frieden, director of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said people in those risk groups should seek treatment if they have a fever of at least 100.4, and a cough or a sore throat. A third to half of the severe and fatal cases have occurred in young and middle-aged people who were previously healthy. India has reported 15 confirmed cases of swine flu. The Union health ministry says India has no reason to be alarmed. “This (level 6 alert) does not apply to India since the total number of positive cases has only been 15 so far. India is still at level 4, which means the infection is under control. Hence there is no need to panic,” said Vineet Chawdhary, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health. The Indian government is in favour of exit screening passengers even though the WHO says it will serve no purpose. The cabinet secretary has therefore decided, after a review meeting, that all of India’s visa-issuing agencies would now hand over an advisory to people seeking visas to India asking them not to travel if they have any of the symptoms of swine flu, Chawdhary said. The government has also stated that India has sufficient quantities of Tamiflu, the most effective medication against the disease, which is available free at government hospitals. It has banned sales of the drug in the open market for fear that indiscriminate use will build up resistance to it. However, a television channel that carried out an investigation in Hyderabad found that Tamiflu was available at chemists at a high price of Rs 3,000 per strip. This is the first flu pandemic since the Hong Kong flu pandemic of 1968 which killed 1 million people. Pandemics typically come in two waves. The WHO has warned that vigil must be stepped up and maintained. Source: DNA, June 12, 2009
New York Times, June12, 2009
PTI, June 11, 2009
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