First case of swine flu confirmed in SVG

The first case of the H1N1 virus (swine flu) has been confirmed here.

On the evening of Thursday, July 2, Minister of Health Dr Douglas Slater, in an address to the nation, said confirmation had been received late that afternoon.

Earlier this week it had been widely rumored that swine flu had reached these shores. Word spread that a woman who was infected with the virus, had been warded at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.{{more}}

SEARCHLIGHT spoke with Chief Medical Officer Dr St Clair Thomas, who explained where the rumor started.

He said that the woman in question came in from Canada last week and filled out the surveillance form at the airport. She started feeling unwell, so she followed the instructions that she was given at the airport and called in to the Accident and Emergency Department of the hospital.

The woman was reportedly experiencing headaches and was coughing and had a runny nose.

She was admitted to the hospital and a swab was taken and sent to Trinidad while she was treated at the hospital.

Since then, the symptoms have cleared and the woman, who is in her twenties, is well and was discharged from the hospital on Thursday.

Dr Thomas had explained that the woman could not have been discharged until the test result came back from Trinidad.

Dr Thomas told SEARCHLIGHT that all the measures which were put in place to combat the spread of swine flu worked well in this case.

Once the woman was admitted to the hospital, a meeting of the surveillance committee, including the Minister and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, the Chief Nursing Officer, the Hospital’s Medical Director and himself was held to discuss the case and make sure that everything was in order. (KJ)