New A/H1N1 cases found in Lao Cai

The northern mountainous province of Lao Cai on May 8 detected six new suspected cases of swine flu A/H1N1 with three tested positive for the virus.
The northern mountainous province of Lao Cai on May 8 detectedsix new suspected cases of swine flu A/H1N1 with three tested positivefor the virus.

All of them showed flu-like symptomsof coughing, fever, headache and difficult breathing, said Nong TienCuong, Director of the provincial Health Department.

The three H1N1-positive patients are under treatment at the Bac Ha General Hospital in Lao Cai while the rest are isolated.

To date, Lao Cai, which shares a land border with China , hasreported 86 suspected cases and ten cases positive for A/H1N1.

In the face of the epidemic’s complicated developments, thousands ofhealth workers have been dispatched to all communes and towns across theprovince to help put the deadly flu strain under control.

Sharing those efforts, the neighbouring province of Yen Bai ,which reported two deaths by A/H1N1, has taken a range of preventivemeasures against the flu, focusing on raising public awareness ofthe epidemic.

Over the past month, the province hasconducted testing on 118 cases, of which 28 were found positive forA/H1N1, raising the locality’s total flu infections to over 5,200 so farthis year.

The first A/H1N1 outbreak hit Nguyen Thai Hoc ward, Yen Bai city in mid-April, bringing four people to hospital.

Meanwhile, the People’s Committee of southern Dong Nai province hasrequired relevant agencies to promptly implement measures againstpossible flu outbreaks.

The province will spend part of its budge purchasing Cloramin B, protective clothes and Taminflu to deal with the epidemic.

The provincial health sector has opened H7N9 prevention trainingcourses for about 200 health workers and carried out preventive plansfor the new strain of avian influenza.

Tran VanQuang, head of the provincial Veterinary Department, said all 74 samplesof swallows (salanganes) collected from the province’s localities havebeen tested negative for the avian flu virus.

However, he warned of a high risk for the outbreaks as most swallows raised in 130 local establishments are wild species.-VNA

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