Caribbean prepared to deal with Swine Flu

Health officials across the Caribbean have assured citizens that there is no need for panic over the Swine Flu outbreak that was first detected in Mexico and has now spread to the United States, Canada, Spain and the United Kingdom.

On Monday the World health Organization (WHO) met in emergency session in Geneva and raised the global pandemic level up one notch, to 4, just two short of a full-blown pandemic. Experts believe the virus has shown a sustained ability to pass from human to human and has the potential to cause community-level outbreaks.

Some countries, including Canada and the United States, are urging their citizens not to travel to Mexico unless it is essential.

The virus has infected hundreds in Mexico and killed at least 150. And hundreds more are being checked out in hospitals for possible infection.

Dr Bernadette Theodore-Ghandi, the Caribbean Programme Coordinator at the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), told the Caribbean Media Corporation there is good reason for concern in the region although the health authorities have not detected the flu so far.

“The laboratories have confirmed this is a virus which we have not been exposed to before... this is a fairly new flu virus with exactly the same symptoms as other types of flu…but most people in the world would not have been exposed and therefore have little immunity for this type of virus and that is what is causing the concern," she said.

“It can, of course, spread very quickly and infect a number of people at the same time and has the potential for rapid spread throughout all our countries. That is why we are so concerned about it,” the PAHO official said, adding that the elderly and children were among the most vulnerable.

Theodore-Ghandi is confident that Caribbean countries have the capability to handle a potential outbreak because they have been working for 18 months on plans to deal with a flu pandemic.

“We had recognised some years ago, that there was the potential risk of pandemic influenza and since that time we have not stopped working with countries in developing their plans in terms of surveillance and in terms of the health system will respond if we have a dramatic increase in the number of cases of flu,” the PAHO official said.

Health authorities across the region are assessing their individual capacities in the event that an outbreak occurred within their shores and were screening passengers arriving from countries where Swine Flu cases have been confirmed.

Jamaica has put its ports of entry on alert for travellers arriving from countries where human cases of the outbreak have been confirmed.

In Trinidad and Tobago Health minister Jerry Narace told reporters his ministry is prepared. Narace said while "at this time we have no reported, probable or confirmed cases" as a precautionary measure the Ministry would continue to tighten "health checks on travellers coming into Trinidad and Tobago and upon arrival they are going to be required to report to port health for screening."

Swine flu is normally contracted through contact with pigs. However, it appears that this strain is spread through human-to-human contact. Symptoms of the flu include a fever of more than 100 degrees, body aches, coughing, a sore throat, respiratory congestion and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Read more: Frequently asked questions about Swine Flu

There is currently no known cure and health authorities have warned that the vaccine developed to deal with the seasonal virus is ineffective in dealing with swine flu.

They have advised people who might be infected to isolate themselves from family members and seek medical help. In addition they are advising everyone to take proper precaution, such as frequent hand washing, to protect themselves.