Swine flu?, ga naar dokter, toeter 3x en wacht op hulp

[Cees Binkhorst]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25424878-952,00.html

Chaos as China locks up its Mexicans

May 04, 2009 08:40am

REACTIONS worldwide to the outbreak of swine flu have ranged from the
extreme to the ridiculous, with a diplomatic storm brewing over China's
decision to quarantine dozens of Mexicans who have shown no signs of
infection.

China took the measure after a 25-year-old Mexican man tested positive for
swine flu in Hong Kong on Thursday after arriving there from Shanghai,
where he had transferred from a flight from Mexico.

Mexican diplomats complained bitterly to China yesterday, saying about 70
of their countrymen had been placed under quarantine despite showing no
signs of swine flu.

Having cancelled all commercial flights from Mexico, the Chinese
government then cancelled a flight which had been privately chartered to
pick up around 120 of its citizens stranded in Mexico.

Mexico said its swine flu epidemic was declining as anti-viral medicine,
the public's use of face-masks and hand-washing had limited the spread of
the virus.

The "epidemic is in its phase of decline'', Health Minister Jose Angel
Cordova said, adding that it had peaked between April 23 and 28.

As well as dealing with the stigma of swine flu on a global level,
Mexicans were increasingly chafing at restrictions at home that included
the shutdown of schools, tourist sites and non-essential businesses, and,
in the capital, the closure of bars, restaurants, clubs and cinemas.

However, the World Health Organisation warned that it could soon raise its
global pandemic alert level to a maximum of six.

The WHO pointed to the risk of further spread in humans after a herd of
pigs in Canada was infected with (A)H1N1 strain, in what is believed to be
the first instance of human-to-swine transmission.

A day after some 200 animals at an Alberta farm were found to be infected
with swine flu, WHO experts urged vigilant surveillance of animals in
affected countries.

Experts say people should not be concerned with eating pork, as the risks
came from contact with bodily fluids of animals, not processed or cooked
meat, or matured raw ham.

In Egypt, where a nationwide cull of all pigs is under way, riot police
have clashed with stone-throwing pig farmers trying to prevent their
animals from being taken away for slaughter as part of a nationwide cull.

Seven policemen were slightly injured in the Moqattam clashes, while at
least eight demonstrators were hurt.

An Australian journalist who has tested positive for swine flu in the UK
says medical advice about how to deal with her infection has varied
wildly.

Kate Corbett is a third Australian living in the UK to have tested
positive for the flu, after she returned from a trip with friends to
Mexico for a wedding last week.

"Initially I was told I wasn't allowed to leave home then I was told I
was, then I was told I wasn't, so today I got the definitive feedback
which was until you have finished the Tamiflu and until you've got
absolutely no symptoms, you'll have to stay indoors,'' she said.

"It was me who had to be proactive, I had to call them in the first place,
no one called me.

"After a few days that I had been in contact with the health authorities,
they called me to say that my friend was at risk and he was getting
tested.''

The friend's girlfriend subsequently called to say that he had tested
positive for swine flu.

"Yet the health authorities didn't get in contact with me,'' Ms Corbett said.

In New Zealand, a newspaper has suggested that people who suspect they may
have swine flu should toot their car horn three times outside a doctor's
clinic and wait for help, rather than risking spreading the virus through
a waiting room.

A total of 18 countries have reported 898 cases of human swine flu A(H1N1)
infections and 20 deaths, the WHO said, adding Italy to its list of
affected countries, but not Colombia, which only reported its first case
earlier yesterday.

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