Colombia : Suspect cases of swine flu increase to 42

[Gert van der Hoek]

Colombia declares state of emergency over swine flu threat

Monday, 27 April 2009 15:46

Colombia declared a national state of emergency to combat the threat of the swine flu that killed some 150 people in Mexico and infected several in the United States. There have been no confirmed cases of the virus in Colombia so far, but through the state of emergency Bogotá hopes to have all the means necessary to prevent an outbreak.

The measure was announced Monday afternoon by Social Welfare Minister Diego Palacio, who said that the measure allows the government to have a budget "to try to contain and mitigate the impact that this emergency could generate in the country".

The government has earmarked 15 billion pesos (US$6.4 million) to start an information campaign and to purchase supplies to fight a possible outbreak of the disease.

Earlier Wednesday, capital Bogotá declared a yellow alert to have more hospital staff on stand by and be able to more thoroughly check travelers coming from Mexico.

The Red Cross announced to have 35,000 volunteers ready in all the country's 32 departments in case the flu hits Colombia.


So far, eleven people have symptoms that could be of the swine flu, but this can not be confirmed until in a few days.

The peso dropped more than 2 percent Monday amid fears the crisis will affect the country's tourism and export throughout Latin America.

http://colombiareports.com/colombia...state-of-emergency-over-swine-flu-threat.html

 

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.adn.es/sociedad/20090428/NWS-3249-Colombia-sospechosos-porcina-elevan-casos.html

Google translation:
Amounted to 42 suspected cases of swine flu in Colombia
* EFE
* Bogota

The cases of persons suspected of carrying the virus of swine flu rose to 42 today in Colombia, four were "worrying", according to the Government, which ordered a crisis center to deal with the arrival of the disease to the country .

"We have been doing follow-up to 42 cases in different parts of Medellin, Pereira, Cali, Cartagena, Bucaramanga, Bogota, Barranquilla," announced today the Minister of Social Protection, Diego Palacio.

Of those 42 suspected cases, four were "worrying," said the official, who explained that in all cases involve people who have symptoms and who have been in Mexico, where the virus has spread.

"It does not mean that they have clinical severity (...), but immediately put under observation as a precautionary measure," he said.

Palace announced the creation of a crisis room in the Ministry of Protection to maintain communication with all hospitals in Colombia and follow up any cases of swine flu.

"About 90 out of 100 patients who have contact with the virus are not even aware or will feel symptoms (...); simple majority of those who have the virus we will face and we to handle without any problem, "he said.

The minister clarified that only "a relatively small group (of infection) can have complications."

Palacio ordered the purchase of 200,000 antiviral treatments, 10,000 of them children, in order to cope with the demand that will arise when the virus arrives in Colombia, which considered it "inevitable."

Given how quickly it has spread swine fever in several countries, the Colombian government on Monday ordered the "disaster" to assume a potential emergency, allowing preventive action to advance and make use of special lines.

"Once we confirm the arrival of the virus have a rapid expansion, there are going to have this problem for two weeks of great difficulty for the health sector, then it starts to fall the situation is beginning to normalize," said Palacio.

The disease caused by the A/H1N1 virus is manifested by the sudden increase in body temperature, cough, nasal discharge, and intense muscle aches in the joints, eye irritation and headaches
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