President Mori Receives Fourth Update from Department of Health and Social Affairs on H1N1 Influenza A Pandemic Threat

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President Mori Receives Fourth Update from Department of Health and Social Affairs on H1N1 Influenza A Pandemic Threat

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): May 21, 2009 – The FSM Department of Health & Social Affairs has submitted their second report to President Mori to update the President on the Influenza pandemic threat. Secretary for the Department, Dr. Vita Skilling, has alerted the President that since the third update on May 7^th 2009, the following have developed:

• Medications (tamiflu and relenza) and personal protective equipments (PPEs) sent to the States have been received in all four State Department of Health Services to support their respective responses to the H1N1.

• Screening of passengers entering the states through the airports has been intensified, but no suspect case has yet to be identified. Passengers who have returned from affected areas are asked to self-isolate for 7.

• PPEs have been provided to port officials and operators as a protective measure for H1N1 and other equally infectious conditions.

• As of May 14, 2009, USA reported 4,298 confirmed and probable cases with 3 deaths. 47 States in the US have been reported confirmed and probable cases. Hawaii, the closest US State to us, have reported 10 cases.

• The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths – Argentina (1), Australia (1), Brazil (8), China (4), Colombia (7), Cuba (1), Denmark (1), El Salvador (4), Finland (2), France (14), Germany (12), Guatemala (3), Ireland (1), Israel (7), Italy (9), Japan (4), Netherlands (3), New Zealand (7), Norway (2), Panama (29), Poland (1), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (3), Spain (100), Sweden (2), Switzerland (1), Thailand (2), and the United Kingdom (71).

• None of the island-countries and US -affiliated territories has reported any suspect nor laboratory confirmed cases.

• The World Health Organization Pandemic Phase remains at 5 (multiple countries around the globe with laboratory confirmed human-to-human cases). This Department will continue to request the support and cooperate of the airline and port operators to be vigilant and to work collaboratively with the States Public Health agencies to continue with the port screening and surveillance activities.

• WHO still does not recommend travel restrictions but continue to emphasize travel alerts to passengers travelling to any destinations.

• Update No. 3 reported total global confirmed cases of 2,372. Since May 14, 6,497 confirmed cases was reported, an increase of 4,125. The total deaths reported in Update No. 3 was 44 and since May 14, 65 deaths were reported, an increase of 21.