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H1N1 outbreak fear worries health officials
Web posted at: 11/16/2009 6:39:33
Source ::: THE PENINSULA
DOHA: About 30 to 50 percent of the population is likely to be infected if there is a massive outbreak of H1N1 in Qatar during winter. However, an outbreak can be prevented if at least two-thirds of the population is vaccinated against the disease, senior health officials said yesterday.
They lamented the severe lack of awareness in the public about the vaccination, despite the country passing through a situation of pandemic.
?An average 20 confirmed H1N1 cases and hundreds of Influenza Like Illnesses (ILI) are being reported in the country everyday. Between 30 to 50 percent of the ILI cases are considered potential H1NI cases,? said Dr Mohammed Al Thani, director of the Public Health Department at the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) addressing a press conference yesterday.
?Vaccination can save thousands of lives. We will soon be getting huge quantities of the H1N1 vaccine- 300,000 to 600,000 doses- and will launch a mass vaccination campaign by the end of this month,? he added.
Dr Abdul Latheef Al Khal, head of the Communicable Diseases Section at the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) said H1N1 related deaths were also expected to increase with the onset of winter. Until now, seven people have died in Qatar due to the infection and almost all the victims had been suffering from other serious illnesses.
?Currently there are three cases at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at HMC including a nurse. The ICU receives at least one H1NI case every day,? said Al Khal.
Asked if there is a H1N1 outbreak of the disease in the country so far, Al Khal said, ?There is a pandemic and the graph of the infected is going up, though it has not reached the peak.?
The officials reassured that Qatar would get sufficient quantities of the H1N1 vaccine to cover the entire population in the country. ?We are expecting an outbreak of the disease in winter that can potentially infect 30 to 50 percent of the population.?
Al Khal added: ?If two third of the population is vaccinated, it can prevent the spread of the disease and protect the remaining segment of the population.?
?In the West people are queuing up for the vaccine. UK has been using the same vaccine as ours and no serious side effects were reported from anyone of the thousands of people who were vaccinated. Millions have been vaccinated in the US without any serious problems. It is unfortunate that people in Qatar are still doubtful about the vaccination,? he added.
The officials said the situation in schools as well as labour camps was under control.
?We have several cases from schools and classes are being suspended almost daily. However, the situation has not reached the level of an outbreak. The same is the case in labour camps,? said Al Thani.
The H1N1 vaccine is currently available for Haj pilgrims and some other categories who are at a high risk of being infected. It will be made available for the public at HMC and the primary health care centers once the mass campaign is launched. Children, health care workers, pregnant women, the elderly and people suffering from chronic diseases will get priority while administering the vaccine.
A total of 1,200 Haj pilgrims ? 200 of them nationals ? had been vaccinated so far.
Web posted at: 11/16/2009 6:39:33
Source ::: THE PENINSULA
DOHA: About 30 to 50 percent of the population is likely to be infected if there is a massive outbreak of H1N1 in Qatar during winter. However, an outbreak can be prevented if at least two-thirds of the population is vaccinated against the disease, senior health officials said yesterday.
They lamented the severe lack of awareness in the public about the vaccination, despite the country passing through a situation of pandemic.
?An average 20 confirmed H1N1 cases and hundreds of Influenza Like Illnesses (ILI) are being reported in the country everyday. Between 30 to 50 percent of the ILI cases are considered potential H1NI cases,? said Dr Mohammed Al Thani, director of the Public Health Department at the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) addressing a press conference yesterday.
?Vaccination can save thousands of lives. We will soon be getting huge quantities of the H1N1 vaccine- 300,000 to 600,000 doses- and will launch a mass vaccination campaign by the end of this month,? he added.
Dr Abdul Latheef Al Khal, head of the Communicable Diseases Section at the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) said H1N1 related deaths were also expected to increase with the onset of winter. Until now, seven people have died in Qatar due to the infection and almost all the victims had been suffering from other serious illnesses.
?Currently there are three cases at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at HMC including a nurse. The ICU receives at least one H1NI case every day,? said Al Khal.
Asked if there is a H1N1 outbreak of the disease in the country so far, Al Khal said, ?There is a pandemic and the graph of the infected is going up, though it has not reached the peak.?
The officials reassured that Qatar would get sufficient quantities of the H1N1 vaccine to cover the entire population in the country. ?We are expecting an outbreak of the disease in winter that can potentially infect 30 to 50 percent of the population.?
Al Khal added: ?If two third of the population is vaccinated, it can prevent the spread of the disease and protect the remaining segment of the population.?
?In the West people are queuing up for the vaccine. UK has been using the same vaccine as ours and no serious side effects were reported from anyone of the thousands of people who were vaccinated. Millions have been vaccinated in the US without any serious problems. It is unfortunate that people in Qatar are still doubtful about the vaccination,? he added.
The officials said the situation in schools as well as labour camps was under control.
?We have several cases from schools and classes are being suspended almost daily. However, the situation has not reached the level of an outbreak. The same is the case in labour camps,? said Al Thani.
The H1N1 vaccine is currently available for Haj pilgrims and some other categories who are at a high risk of being infected. It will be made available for the public at HMC and the primary health care centers once the mass campaign is launched. Children, health care workers, pregnant women, the elderly and people suffering from chronic diseases will get priority while administering the vaccine.
A total of 1,200 Haj pilgrims ? 200 of them nationals ? had been vaccinated so far.
