Rhiza Labs FluTracker Forum

380 cases of H1N1 flu confirmed

18:41 BELGRADE, Nov 10 (Tanjug) - 380 cases of H1N1 flu have been confirmed in Serbia, with 11 people being in severe condition and connected to respirators, State Secretary for the Ministry of Health Nevena Karanovic said Tuesday (10 Nov).

350 respirators in Serbia. Source B92 (http://www.b92.net/zdravlje/vesti.php?y ... _id=391130)

"In Serbia at this moment there is no need for a greater number of respirators from those who currently hold, and it is more than 350 devices, with those who are in intensive negama. The respirators are now four patients and professional and organizational there is no problem with "artificial lungs". It shows the simple math, and talk with anesteziolozima and infektolozima. Respirators have enough in all centers, and where the epidemiological situation require more, of course, will be redistribuirani within a city, county and throughout the republic."

Thus the Minister of Health Professor Dr Tomica Milosavljevic at yesterday's press conference in the Serbian government responded to the question of "Politika" why buy new respirators, if now, as he claims, is enough.

On the second question of "Politika" why patients from Krusevac were transported to Belgrade, because according to reports there were no free respirators in Nis, Kragujevac, as well as in Krusevac, he replied that the case is being examined.

The hospitals are currently treating 248 people (including illness that is suspected to have a new flu), and four patients were in serious condition. (note Jan: this was mentioned on yesterday's press conference (9 November). Number of cases has increased since then (see previous post)

Health Minister Tomica Milosavljevic announced on Wednesday (November 11th) a swine flu epidemic. The first measure to prevent the flu from spreading will be the urgent vaccination of children, pregnant women and elderly people, as well as health care workers. The emergency also implies that public gatherings could be banned and schools could be closed, pending assessments by local authorities. Serbia has registered 258 swine flu cases and seven deaths so far. (RTS, B92, Tanjug, AP - 11/11/09)

http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/x ... 1/11/nb-11

_________________
www.twitter.com/hniman

The emergency also implies that public gatherings could be banned and schools could be closed, pending assessments by local authorities. Serbia has registered 258 swine flu cases and seven deaths so far. (RTS, B92, Tanjug, AP - 11/11/09)


I find this interesting that they will close down everything for a few cases when their population is 9,850,000 est.

Trying to stop the un-stoppable.

Trying to slow down the un-stoppable..................
Most countries only report confirmed cases, here the CDC estimated there were 20 cases that were un-reported for each confirmed case, and at time implied that was a conservative estimate.

Serbia declares swine flu epidemic
11 November 2009 | 11:26 -> 13:43 | Source: B92
BELGRADE -- Health Minister Tomica Milosavljević has announced that a swine flu epidemic has been declared in Serbia.

The decision came at the recommendation of the government working group set up to monitor the spread of the AH1N1 virus.

Milosavljević told a news conference at the government headquarters in Belgrade on Wednesday that a ban on public gatherings, including in schools and preschools in the whole country or some areas can be imposed, but that this would happen "according to the appraisal of the health institutions with jurisdiction in the matter".

For the time being, he explained, no such blanket ban has been introduced.

The epidemic will be official once today's decision has been published in the Official Gazette, Milosavljević said, and added that one of the measures will be to vaccinate the population against the virus, with chronic patients and children older than six months set to be inoculated first.

There is every condition to declare a swine flu epidemic in Serbia, Branislav Tiodorović, a member of the group, said earlier in the day.

“Based on the evaluation of the epidemic situation and evaluation of its development in the next few months, there are reasons to declare an epidemic. Considering the fact that we have 258 confirmed cases of swine flu and that the number will surely increase in the future period, that more than 350 people are in hospitals, that we have had seven fatal outcomes so far, and that there are all conditions and risk factors for an epidemic to spread in all parts of Serbia, there are absolutely all conditions to declare an epidemic,” the working group's Branislav Tiodorović said.

The working group has also been drafting a set of measures that will be forwarded to the Institute of Public Health of Serbia Dr. Milan Jovanović Batut.

Tiodorović explained for B92 that those measures include vaccination of the population, but that not all schools and preschools would be closed and that public gatherings, concerts, theater and movie shows would not be cancelled at this stage, when the epidemic is described as being "only a mild wave".

“When the first pandemic wave strikes, likely after the New Year, we will have more sick people and then some of the measures may be introduced on a state level,” he said.

Tiodorović added he was hoping that the vaccination could start at the beginning of December.

Regarding speculations about the side effects of the anti-virus vaccine, Assistant Minister of Health Ružica Nikolić said that the vaccine was “just like any other medicine”.

“The vaccine is just like any other medicine which has confirmed indicative area with a part called 'side effects', and it is no different than other medications,” she said.

Nikolić added that the vaccine had been given to 40 million worldwide people so far, "without any side effects".

They say that a ban on public gatherings, including in schools and preschools in the whole country or some areas can be imposed (they have not done so yet). They are just careful. An epidemic is declared, meaning that they will a) get the attention of the people (so they don't underestimate the flue), b) will make it easier to take the necessary measures without much delays and c) will make sure that more money from the government is going to be allocated (it is not just a few spread cases of flue anymore).

Better to prevent things than let things go out of control.

http://bsanna-news.ukrinform.ua/newsite ... 43&lang=en

BSANNA NEWS