—– So far, around 20 people have died in different parts of the country due to the virus
ISLAMABAD: A total of 400 suspected cases of H1N1 influenza have been reported across the country so far, out of which 120 influenza positive cases have been confirmed in the country, resulting in 20 deaths.
Talking to Pakistan Today, National Institute of Health (NIH) Senior Scientific Officer Dr Mumtaz Ali Khan said that a total of 400 suspected cases have been reported so far, out of which around 120 cases were positive.
He said that the virus had also caused 20 deaths, including one in Islamabad, while the rest were reported in Multan where the disease had resulted in an epidemic.
However, Dr Mumtaz said that influenza alone was not responsible for the deaths because most of the patients were already admitted in the intensive care units (ICU) of different hospitals with heart and diabetic problems.
He said that no normal patient had died hitherto, which indicated that influenza was not the reason behind their deaths. However, he confirmed that they were diagnosed with influenza too.
He further said that most of the cases were reported from Punjab, out of which around 70 influenza cases were reported from Multan alone, while around six cases were also reported from Swabi district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The doctor confirmed that a total of seven influenza cases had been reported from the federal capital so far.
Keeping in view the recent upsurge in influenza A cases in different parts of the country, the NIH, Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, Islamabad, in collaboration with Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), organised a one-day seminar on influenza awareness for healthcare professionals here on Wednesday.
The purpose of the seminar was to provide updated influenza information on the epidemiology, current situation in Pakistan and global trends in influenza research. Earlier, while speaking at the seminar, Dr Mumtaz highlighted the role of NIH and said that, “Regular advisories regarding prevention, control, diagnosis and management of influenza are being issued by NIH.”
He said Seasonal Awareness and Alert Letters (SAAL) have also been circulated for sensitising the medical fraternity and the general public against epidemic-prone diseases, including influenza. Updated guidelines have also been posted on the official website, he added.
He informed the audience that NIH had established a countrywide laboratory-based seasonal influenza surveillance network at seven sites across Pakistan which would provide baseline knowledge on the different strains of influenza viruses present in the country and provide support for laboratory detection of novel influenza strains.
PIMS Administrator Dr Altaf Qureshi, who was the chief guest on the occasion, appreciated the NIH for arranging this seminar at a critical time when the disease had created a media hype in the country. He said that such type of awareness seminars could be helpful to control any disease, adding that the services of PIMS were available to support such activities in the future.
During the seminar, speakers provided technical guidance on different aspects of influenza, including management, treatment, vaccination, laboratory diagnostics and prevention and control. They informed the audience about the latest global trends in influenza research while also highlighting the epidemiology of seasonal influenza and emergence of pandemic influenza viruses.
They briefed the audience about preventive strategies and emphasised on maintaining cleanliness on a daily basis, including washing hands, following coughing etiquettes and use of disinfectants. They also informed the audience about the high-risk groups, availability and use of anti-viral medicines and recommendations for the use of vaccination.
Moreover, PIMS Infectious Disease Department Physician Dr Naseem Akhtar briefed the audience about the objectives of the seminar. On the occasion, NIH Surveillance Coordinators Dr Uzma Bashir and Dr Ambreen Chaudhry shared their experiences regarding handling the current influenza situation in the country and stressed upon the audience to adopt preventive measures.
At the end of the seminar, a panel of health professionals, including, Dr Najeeb Durrani, Dr Mumtaz Ali Khan, Nazish Badar, Dr Rubeena, Dr Naseem Akhtar and Dr Uzma Aamer, answered the questions put forth by the audience.
