After several weeks of no new confirmations, the number of H1N1 cases in Guyana has moved from 17 to 19 within the past few days, and results are pending for several other samples.

Dr Colin Roach, Director of the National Public Health Institute laboratory has confirmed that the total count went up saying yesterday that two other cases have been confirmed based on results received from the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC).

There were unconfirmed reports yesterday that another sample came back positive but Dr. Roach said he is yet to verify this. Dr. Roach said too that the new cases have not strayed from the regular pattern of who is being infected, adding that results are pending for 13 samples.

Guyana will receive some 240,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine over the weekend and a mass immunization campaign is expected to commence shortly. Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has said previously that due to the limited doses the health sector would be identifying vulnerable groups of persons to target among the initial groups to be immunized.

He pointed to children under the age of 5 years; pregnant women; the elderly and persons with certain chronic health conditions as being among those initially targeted. Additionally, he said they also have to consider health care providers as vulnerable. According to Ramsammy, H1N1 has been affecting persons here between the ages of 15 and 40 years.