7 News Belize

Virulent Strain of Flu Not In Belize
posted (February 2, 2018)
Figueroa also commented on the status the seasonal flu in Belize. It's typical of this time of year - but it's newsworthy right now because in the states - an especially strong flu has killed 53 children. That's the H3N2 strain - which Figueroa says did make only a single appearance in Belize:...

Dr. Ramon Figueroa, CEO, Ministry of Health
"Late last year we had actually a group from the Ministry of Health and the Karl Heusner meet because it was being reported that we had an excessive amount of cases, of virulent cases at the KHMH."

"We had had a report of an H3N2 strain sometime in February last year and we had a case that was exposed to the US, came to Belize ended up at KHMH and died. Again as things have it I think we didn't follow proper procedure in terms of sampling we are still investigating the case I think part of CDC's role right now will be to follow up on that case."

"We have not had any other deaths related to influenza but most of the cases we have sent abroad for sampling have come back with the normal adenovirus type flue which is the normal type not the virulent type."

Earlier this week, the US donated a laboratory machine that will do local testing to determine what strain of the flu virus is making people sick in Belize.

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