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Another death from H1N1 as national cases near 900
The government has confirmed that another person has died from the H1N1 strain of influenza A, bringing the death toll to four since the virus first officially arrived in Indonesia in May
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he government has confirmed that another person has died from the H1N1 strain of influenza A, bringing the death toll to four since the virus first officially arrived in Indonesia in May.
The Health Ministry said in Jakarta on Sunday the deceased was one of 18 people who were recently infected with the H1N1 virus. With those new cases, the total number of infected people has reached 872.
Health Ministry director general for disease control and environmental health, Tjandra Yoga Aditama, said a laboratory test carried out by the ministry confirmed the patient had died from H1N1.
"Around 18 more people have tested positive to H1N1, one of which has died. These new cases bring the national total to 872," he said in a statement sent to The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
The ministry has previously announced that three people have died from the virus so far. The first victim was a 6-year-old who died in July, followed by a 55-year-old foreigner on Aug. 2 and a two-year-old Indonesian girl on Aug. 3.
The three deceased were all suffering from severe pneumonia at the time of their death.
Some observers have suggested the fatality rate from the virus could grow, with a number of hospitals reporting that patients have been dying from symptoms similar to H1N1.
With the number of H1N1 flu cases continuing to rise, the Health Ministry is reiterating its earlier message that those sick with a flu refrain from public interaction and seek medical attention promptly.
Tjandra said people with symptoms should stay home and rest as that is the only cure for the flu. He also urged people to stay fit through exercise and maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
"People should cover their mouth with a tissue if they cough to avoid transmitting the virus to others. If you have flu symptoms you should quickly purchase some medicine. If within two days you have not recovered, see a doctor," he said.
He said the government had sufficiently distributed information about how to avoid catching the flu, including by encouraging people to wash their hands with soap.
The Health Ministry, Tjandra said, had also provided patients suffering from the H1N1 virus with access to cheap medication and urged them to report to their local community health center when they detected symptoms.
Tjandra said the ministry would continue with these measures to contain the spread of the strain.
Measures include installing thermal scanners at airports to monitor those coming into Indonesia, improving the skills of medical workers in hospitals across the country and reinforcing communication, information and education activities on the virus by distributing public awareness information.
Experts and officials have warned that with the H1N1 influenza beginning to spread within the national borders and not just originating from abroad, the virus could now spread more quickly.
The Ministry's data shows that of the confirmed H1N1 cases, the majority had not been traveling abroad before contracting the disease.
More than 90 percent of those infected with the virus were Indonesian citizens with the rest being foreigners, data from the Health Ministry showed.
"The problem is that many people do not practice clean and healthy lifestyle habits, which allows H1N1 to spread more quickly, as it is transmitted from human-to-human at a community level," the ministry stated.
