350 cases test positive, reveals Supreme Council of Health
A total of 350 of the over 1,000 suspected cases have tested positive to A(H1N1) flu in Qatar, the Supreme Council of Health announced yesterday. “The number of suspected cases tested so far for the virus have reached 1,150 and over 50% of them are currently receiving treatment and are in stable condition,” public health department director Dr Mohamed al-Thani said.
Qatar announced its first swine flu cases in June after two toddlers and one teenager arriving in the country from Australia and the US were diagnosed with the virus. The virus claimed its first and only victim so far in the country on July 31.
The official said the majority of infected persons were not being hospitalised or kept in the quarantined area at the Medical City due to the increase in number of suspected cases. Only those in transit were presently being housed there, the official added.
“These patients are currently being looked after in their homes as they do not need to be in the hospital but all they need to do is to follow and comply with the treatment procedure in order to safeguard members of their family and the entire public,” he explained.
According to him, the World Health Organisations has directed all affected countries not to release statistics regarding the number of suspected cases and even the number of confirmed cases any further and that testing of suspected cases should be done only when symptoms were confirmed and serious, otherwise treatment should commence immediately.
He hinted that the council would no longer rely on information regarding suspected cases coming from the thermal cameras installed at entry points into the country as the data was not reliable.
“Reports from these cameras are not accurate and we will discontinue their use,” he said.
The official said persons with flu symptoms should contact any nearby health centre for immediate treatment, adding that family members of suspected cases will also be given treatment.
“The council will encourage any suspected case to wear mask in crowded place, schools, supermarkets and mosques to avoid the rapid spread of the virus within the community,” he added.
Hi, this from Gulf Times newspaper today....
350 cases test positive, reveals Supreme Council of Health
A total of 350 of the over 1,000 suspected cases have tested positive to A(H1N1) flu in Qatar, the Supreme Council of Health announced yesterday. “The number of suspected cases tested so far for the virus have reached 1,150 and over 50% of them are currently receiving treatment and are in stable condition,” public health department director Dr Mohamed al-Thani said.
Qatar announced its first swine flu cases in June after two toddlers and one teenager arriving in the country from Australia and the US were diagnosed with the virus. The virus claimed its first and only victim so far in the country on July 31.
The official said the majority of infected persons were not being hospitalised or kept in the quarantined area at the Medical City due to the increase in number of suspected cases. Only those in transit were presently being housed there, the official added.
“These patients are currently being looked after in their homes as they do not need to be in the hospital but all they need to do is to follow and comply with the treatment procedure in order to safeguard members of their family and the entire public,” he explained.
According to him, the World Health Organisations has directed all affected countries not to release statistics regarding the number of suspected cases and even the number of confirmed cases any further and that testing of suspected cases should be done only when symptoms were confirmed and serious, otherwise treatment should commence immediately.
He hinted that the council would no longer rely on information regarding suspected cases coming from the thermal cameras installed at entry points into the country as the data was not reliable.
“Reports from these cameras are not accurate and we will discontinue their use,” he said.
The official said persons with flu symptoms should contact any nearby health centre for immediate treatment, adding that family members of suspected cases will also be given treatment.
“The council will encourage any suspected case to wear mask in crowded place, schools, supermarkets and mosques to avoid the rapid spread of the virus within the community,” he added.