H1N1, or Swine Flu - as it was dreadfully called when it first emerged in 2009 - is in Belize and the Caribbean, in fact a report from the Caribbean Public Health Agency says that, quote, "In the Caribbean, the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus is the most commonly identified influenza virus circulating in the Region and this is not an unexpected finding."
In Belize there were 5 case reported last year, and it's hear again this year. Dr. Marvin Manzanero of the Ministry of Health explained why h1ni1 isn't that big a deal after one:...
Marvin Manzanero
"You know when it first came out was in 2009 which is when the red flags and alarms went off everywhere and when countries started to set up influenza surveillance plans nationally and of course regionally. However, I think it has surpassed in the sense that there has been mutations of that virus. There are other sub-types of influenza virus, so H1N1 is not really seemingly on the radar then. The initial mortality that was thought and associated wasn't documented and hasn't been documented because as I said yesterday we have had cases of H1N1 but we haven't had any cases of mortality associated with H1N1."
"The vaccine also that we introduced in 2009 has protection against the H1N1 virus. So, it is not something that we have stop tracking. Its however not one of the newer viruses because viruses mutates and new viruses are coming on the scene which may be more lethality if you will."
"There is a surveillance system set up in place nationally and regionally to try to track viruses that could potentially have a higher mortality rate than H1N1."
Jules Vasquez
"What is the exact situation with the H1N1 in Belize right now particularly concerning number and the date of appearance?"
Marvin Manzanero
"I don't have the full number of documented cases this year. If you notice in the report I sent it mentioned regional data. Last year we had 140 cases that were tested and we had 5 positive cases confirmed by CAREC then, now CARPHA of H1N1 in Belize; so 5 out of 140 cases."
"H1N1 is simply just one of the may viruses that is being track nationally in an overall epidemiological system that track acute respiratory infections. H1N1 is just one then, but would I be overtly concern with H1N1? Perhaps not, I think we should be concern about the overall array of viruses that you could potentially have. The precautionary measures are for all viruses, not just for H1N1."
The total number of h1ni1 cases in Belize so far for 2013 has not been tallied but it has been detected.
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