Swine Flu Death Toll Rises to 111 in Colombia
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=345651&CategoryId=12393
BOGOTA – The death toll from swine flu in Colombia has risen to 111, with 10 more people dying from the AH1N1 flu virus, the Social Protection Ministry said.
A total of 2,371 confirmed flu cases had been reported as of Monday, the ministry said.
Flu cases have been confirmed in 27 of Colombia’s 32 provinces, in four districts and in 147 of the 1,102 municipalities.
“To reduce the impact of the new influenza virus on Colombia, 327 centers have been created to treat acute respiratory disease” in the country’s provinces, the ministry said.
The first swine flu case in Colombia was reported on May 3 in the central city of Zipaquira, while the first death from the disease occurred June 4 in Bogota.
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7.6 pc of H1N1 casualties were pregnant women
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/76-pc-of-H1N1-casualties-were-pregnant-women/articleshow/5125280.cms
15 October 2009
PUNE: An analysis of H1N1 casualties in the state so far has revealed that 7.6 per cent of the total deaths occurred in pregnant women.
The state registered 160 deaths till Monday, of which 12 were pregnant women. All the 12 women who fell victim to the infection were between 20 and 30 years. Surprisingly, the state also registered two cases where the severely-ill infected women recovered and delivered babies without any complications.
“There seem to be two reasons for the death toll among H1N1 infected pregnant women. The first is the altered immune status of pregnant women making them particularly vulnerable to the virus. The second is that late pregnancy compromises lung function. If a pregnant woman gets pneumonia as a complication of the flu, it is particularly difficult to ensure that she gets enough oxygen,” said gynaecologist Sanjay Gupte, president-elect of Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI). However, early initiation of medical treatment can make lot of difference, added Gupte.
Elaborating on the H1N1 casualties among pregnant women, D S Dakhure, director of the state health services said, “Of the total 12 H1N1 causalities among pregnant women, five occurred in rural parts of Maharashtra while seven were in urban parts.” It may be noted that two severely-ill infected pregnant women recovered and delivered babies safely without developing complication - one each in Mumbai and Pune, added Dakhure.
“Since throat swabs of severely- ill patients are only considered for test, we don’t have the data of total number of positive cases in pregnant women in the state. Suspected cases are administered Tamiflu without going for the test,” said Ashok Mehta, joint director of the state health services.
“Pregnancy weakens a woman’s immune system, so much so that she is more likely to suffer from pneumonia when she catches the flu,” said Pradip Awate, medical officer (epidemic) of the state health services. The H1N1 casualties were reported in Pune district (4), Nashik (5) and Mumbai (3), added Awate.
“Two lives are involved in pregnancy - that is of mother and a child. Pregnancy itself is a co-morbid condition because it is a sort of stress to the mother. Besides any infection in pregnancy may lead to complication. Hence the early initiation of treatment is significant,” said Dilip Sarda, president of the city unit of IMA.
Precautions for pregnant women
* Wash your hands frequently. Use hand sanitiser for added protection.
* Stay away from people who are ill.
* If you are in the final weeks of pregnancy, you should learn about breastfeeding and other ways to protect your baby from the H1N1 virus.
* If you feel like you are ill or have the flu, see your doctor early.
* There are some medications, Tamiflu and Relenza, category C drugs for pregnancy, that can be administered.
* These medications work best when given early in the illness.
(Source: Centre for Disease Control and Prevention )
State’s H1N1 casualties
* Total number of deaths in the state: 160 (rural 59, urban 101)
* Total number of deaths among pregnant women: 12 (rural 5, urban 7)