Ceylon Today Editorial

Beware of H1N1 influenza!

28 March 2017

Following many news reports that surfaced in the last few weeks, there has been an increasing interest in the H1N1 influenza virus among the public. With 400 patients reported from the North alone earlier this month and two deaths reported from Kandy last January, this is the second outbreak since 2015.

Moreover, authorities have been on alert since the number of patients tested positive for the H1N1 influenza virus in the Maldives rose to 176; the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) quarantine division has stepped up surveillance for passengers from the Maldives.

H1N1 influenza is a flu-like illness which spreads from person to person through coughing, sneezing, or touching infected surfaces. Although H1N1 was earlier referred to as "swine flu", this term is rarely used anymore because the illness does not spread through contact with pigs. Furthermore, because this virus is relatively new, many of us are not immune to it. This is one of the main reasons this influenza spreads very fast, and it is believed to be more common among children and young adults.

With its discovery back in 2009 and its eventual spread to India and the South East Asian region later in 2015, the H1N1 influenza has been tested as the most prevalent influenza in the region. However, according to most authorities on the matter, the situation in most parts of the country where the disease was reported – Kandy, Kilinochchi, other parts of the Northern Province and Bibile – has turned relatively better, with the patients recovering successfully.

H1N1 symptoms start three to five days after a person has been exposed to the virus, and can last for about eight days. Symptoms may include fever, sore throat, cough, muscle aches, headache, chills, fatigue, a runny or stuffy nose, vomiting and diarrhoea. Of the complications that could arise, H1N1 is only fatal if it develops into pneumonia – which only has a small possibility of happening and is also treatable.

The BIA set up a health desk last week, after it was reported that there was an outbreak of the virus in the Maldives. Accordingly, during the week, up to 300 incoming passengers were referred to the health desk, and about 105 showed symptoms of H1N1 influenza. Meanwhile, SriLankan Airlines has activated Communicable Disease Procedures on its flights that are operating in and out of Male.

Wear a mask when moving around in crowded places; particularly if there have been reports of the illness from the area. If you feel that you have any of the symptoms mentioned earlier, the Health Ministry advises plenty of bed rest and avoiding large crowds, to prevent spread of the illness.

Furthermore, it is advisable to wash your hands regularly with soap and water in addition to drinking plenty of liquids.

Seek advice from your family physician if you think you might have fallen victim to the virus. Special investigations or admission to a hospital is not necessary for mild cases.

Always use a handkerchief or a tissue whenever you sneeze or cough. If you do not have either, you can use your elbow to cover whenever you sneeze. Don't use your hand as you could spread the illness through anything you touch.

But most importantly, it's the fake information that spreads alongside the disease itself that can be deadly to the public. With the growing public interest in the subject, it is obvious there is false information about the disease being spread throughout the country – from incorrect details regarding symptoms to inaccurate mortality rates – making matters worse for those who have not yet been diagnosed with the disease but might be facing its symptoms. The spread of false information can be similarly deadly as the disease itself, given its severity.

Therefore, it is vital for you to be aware of the disease in order to avoid taking rash decisions based on false knowledge.

Prevention is better than cure, as we all have heard. And accordingly, the best way to prevent the disease as well as the negative implications of false information is to be aware.