SWINE FLU

Swine flu case confirmed in Guyana

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Sunday January 2, 2016 – A 50-year-old man who recently returned to Guyana from China has been confirmed with swine flu.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Shamdeo Persaud said the man developed symptoms of the H1N virus within two weeks of flying back from the Asian country and was hospitalized. Samples were sent to the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) which confirmed that the patient was infected.

“We will be monitoring close relatives and persons who would have come in contact with him, but, at this point, there is no need for screening,” Dr. Persaud said, as he urged residents that there was no reason to panic.

He added that the Public Health Ministry has an active disease surveillance system operating at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and the Ogle International Airport.

“We monitor all incoming flights, and what is mandatorily required is that the flight attendants provide, upon arrival of every commercial flight, general flight declaration. A significant part of that flight declaration is a health declaration for them to provide [information on] . . . any sick patient on board, if there was coughing, or if any of the passengers would have experienced fever,” Dr. Persaud said.

The symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of the seasonal flu and include: cough, fever, sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue.