The Ministry of Health has confirmed the first two cases of the H1N1 flu in Guyana.

A release from the Health Ministry said that “at 2 pm on Saturday, July 4, Guyana reported to the International Health Regulation Focal Point at the World Health Organisation (WHO)” that these cases have been identified.

According to a release, the two persons afflicted are residents of Georgetown who were believed to have been infected by contact with visitors from outside the country. The release stated that in both cases, these visitors left the country without seeking medical attention in Guyana.

However, the two persons who were identified as the country’s first two cases sought medical attention at private hospitals. On confirmation of their test results they were both contacted and treated for HINI.

Other family members and other contacts in the last two weeks have been also contacted and are being monitored by the Health Ministry’s surveillance team. The ministry expressed confidence that its “surveillance programme is capable of containing the spread of the virus”.

Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy had warned last month that the H1N1 flu would arrive in Guyana, after neighbouring countries had discovered it. At the time the minister made these comments, Suriname had became the latest country in the region to report the presence of the virus; 11 members of a sport team that had recently visited Trinidad were confirmed to have the virus. Several other Caribbean countries, including Jamaica, Cuba and Barbados have reported the flu’s presence.

The WHO recently declared the flu a pandemic and advised governments to prepare for a long-term battle against an unstoppable new flu virus. The flu has been confirmed to be present in over 70 countries.

Ramsammy, on that occasion, had urged anyone with flu-like symptoms to visit their doctor or local health centre.

Symptoms of ‘swine flu’ in people are similar to those of regular or seasonal flu and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some with ‘swine flu’ also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Precautions

The ministry had advised persons to:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Discard used tissue safely in a covered bin.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.

• Try to avoid close contact with sick people. Direct all persons who are sick to seek medical attention.

• If you get sick, please seek medical attention immediately at the nearest health facility.

The ministry had also said that 20,000 doses of Tamiflu were available to treat the flu should the need arise.