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A(H1N1) massive outbreak reported in Kaohsiung City
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced yesterday that 106 possible A(H1N1) cases were reported in Kaohsiung City in a massive outbreak involving participants of a religious workshop that took place this past week.
Lin Ting, the deputy director general of the CDC, pointed out that the collective infections were all mild bouts of the disease and that no one showed severe symptoms.
Over 200 people took part in the event, and while only a couple of students displayed minor respiratory symptoms on July 16, by July 22, 25 more had to seek medical attention, Lin said.
Transmission is now under control since early dismissal of the workshop, and that there is no reason for panic, assured the health official.
Those that exhibited signs of the virus were given the antiviral medication Tamiflu and are currently under the care of the Kaohsiung Municipal Min Sheng Hospital, Lin said.
He added that other participants were advised to exercise prudent health management and urged not to frequent venues of the 2009 World Games currently held in the port city.
Most of the cases are likely infected with the A(H1N1) swine flu, even though only 12 patients with severe symptoms tested for the new flu strain, with eight testing positive for the virus, local media noted.
As previously reported, recent CDC computer simulations showed that 90 percent of diagnosed influenza A cases were of the H1N1 subtype.
None of the health stations at the World Games athletic facilities have seen infections of the new virus strain, and as such the sporting event is not related to the said cases, Lin said.
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