Yaung hopeful on H1N1 epidemic

For several days, the weekly infection rate has hovered around 20,000, the first indication of a cooling to be observed, Department of Health (DOH) Minister Yaung Chih-liang was cited as saying following his report to the Central Standing Committee of the ruling party.

The newly inaugurated Premier Wu Den-yih and Vice Premier Eric Chu were also in attendance, noted the Central News Agency (CNA).

According to Yaung, the number of people contracting the novel virus has decreased in the last two days, suggesting the effectiveness of the epidemic control policies currently in place.

The purpose of such measures is to conserve resources so as to be prepared for a sudden surge in infections in the future, Yaung remarked.

The goal now is to keep the weekly rate at 20,000 for a few more weeks before vaccines are made available, he added.

The government has procured 15 million vaccine shots, 10 from sole local vaccine manufacturer Adimmune Corp. and another five from Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis.

Vaccines by both companies will soon be undergoing human clinical trials.

The DOH has also purchased 268,000 courses of the antiviral drug Tamiflu, scheduled for a late September arrival.

24-Hour Cough-Free Period: CECC

Over at the Central Epidemic Control Center (CECC), health officials advised those recuperating from the novel flu not to go back to work or class unless they are cough-free for a 24-hour period.

Steve Kuo, the director-general of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), yesterday warned that active A(H1N1) virus can lurk in nasal cavities seven or eight days after contracting the flu.

Coughing allows for the virus in nasal cavities to proliferate and be passed to others, Kuo added.

He said those affected with the disease should not only administer proper health management at home for the requisite five days, but also ensure that a cough-free period of 24 hours is observed before resuming normal work or school schedules.

Meanwhile, five more people were hospitalized for the A(H1N1) virus yesterday, raising the total to 233, according to the CECC.

All of the latest additions involve male patients, between the ages 1 to 80.

Forty four people remain under medical care, 175 have been discharged and 14 have died of the disease, said the CECC.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email