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INFLUENZA PANDEMIC (H1N1) 2009 (91): UKRAINE
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A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: Thu 5 Nov 2009
Source: Agence France-Presse report [edited]
<http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gWyw-CvXI2tl-eW-K9vVDUyCEcLQ>
86 people have died in Ukraine from flu and respiratory infections, the
health ministry said on Wednesday [4 Nov 2009], in an epidemic the World
Health Organization said could be largely due to the pandemic (H1N1) 2009
influenza virus. The ministry said that almost half a million cases of flu
and acute respiratory infections had been recorded since mid-October 2009
in this country of 46 million, while 24 000 people have been hospitalised.
Some 148 000 cases have been recorded in the past 24 hours, it added.
The epidemic is concentrated in the west of the country, which borders 4
European Union states, but a growing number of cases are being reported in
the capital Kiev. "As the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus has rapidly become the
dominant influenza strain worldwide, it can be assumed that most cases of
influenza in Ukraine are caused by the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus," the WHO
said on Tuesday [3 Nov 2009].
Lyudmila Mukharska, Ukraine's deputy chief health officer, said the
authorities had confirmed that 5 of the dead had died of the pandemic [?]
H1N1 virus. She vehemently denied rumours that the west of the country was
suffering from an outbreak of plague, saying that it was "H1N1 that is
circulating in Ukraine."
WHO has sent a team of 9 experts to Ukraine to help the authorities with
the situation. The country is suffering from an above-average infection
rate. Prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko has personally overseen a delivery of
anti-flu medicines in the middle of the night, and pro-Western President
Viktor Yushchenko even called on NATO for help.
"Many questions remain to be answered," said WHO. "The outbreak in Ukraine
may be indicative of how the virus can behave in the northern hemisphere
during the winter season, particularly in health care settings typically
found in Eastern Europe."
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ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
["Many questions remain to be answered," said WHO. So far, only 5 of 86
deaths have been confirmed as consequences of influenza pandemic (H1N1)
2009 virus infection. Diagnostic facilities seem to be inadequate in
Ukraine. How many of the half million people with respiratory illness in
Ukraine are infected by the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus remains unknown. The
outcome of WHO's investigation is awaited. - Mod.CP]
[see also:
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (90): Venezuela, Yanomami (to be archived)
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (89): USA (CA) 20091104.3815
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (88): PAHO update 20091104.3813
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (87): Ukraine, WHO 20091103.3799
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (86): India (MH) 20091103.3796
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (85): China 20091103.3787
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (84): Ukraine, WHO 20091102.3781
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (83): Iraq, schools 20091102.3780
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (82): Egypt, quarantine alert 20091101.3776
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (81): Ukraine, conf. 20091101.3771
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (80): Ukraine susp. RFI 20091031.3764
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (70): Nepal 20091016.3563
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (60): bacterial coinfection 20090930.3410
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (50): oseltamivir-resistance 20090917.3260
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (40): global update 20090906.3138
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (30): assumptions 20090813.2879
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (20): Peru, 33 percent asymptomatic
20090730.2668
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (10): vaccine 20090720.2577
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - Viet Nam: patient data 20090708.2450]
.................cp/msp/sh
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