Number of swine flu cases grows rapidly

• 10.11.2009, 12:36

As of November 9, 128 cases of A(H1N1) virus infections confirmed by tests have been recorded in Belarus. The number of death cases over the day has grown by 26.

As informed by BelaPAN, this information is offered by the website of the Republican Scientific and Practical Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology in the note on pandemic A (H1N1) flu sickness rate in the world and in Belarus.

We remind that on November 8 deputy Health Minister of Belarus Valyantsina Kachan told about 102 cases of swine flu. Thus, over just one day 26 more Belarusians were taken ill with A(H1N1) flu.

As charter97.org website informed earlier, according to official reports of the Health Ministry, 7 persons died from swine flu in Belarus. However the number of cases could be much higher as not all patients with pneumonia pass A(H1N1) tests. Laboratories are not ready for such a number of people. Considering the difference between the number of persons who passed tests and the real number of the infected, one could assume that in reality there are by one order more cases.

Despite of the flu outbreak and death cases which have become more frequent, medical institutions of Minsk experience vaccines supply disruptions even against seasonal flu. Vaccination is not made in most hospitals. There is still no swine flu vaccine in Belarus. The Health Ministry promises that swine flu vaccine will be bought in Russia, however it is unknown when it would be received by Belarus. In pharmacies there is no Tamiflu medicine recommended for swine flu treatment, and even elementary antiviral medicines are absent.