Saint Lucia on high alert for swine flu

Saint Lucia remains on high alert for the H1N1 (swine flu) virus, Medical Surveillance Officer at the Ministry of Health Dr. Michelle Francois has revealed.

While noting that there has been no suspected or confirmed case of swine flu in Saint Lucia, Dr. François stressed that nothing is being taken for granted.

The ministry official has said that a weekly surveillance exercise is carried out here to determine whether there are any traces of the virus and to ensure if there is, it is treated immediately.

The weekly surveillance entails primary health care institutions submitting the number of persons with fever and respiratory symptoms. This is then monitored continuously for other symptoms.

Dr. François said that citizens must take responsibility for their personal hygiene, noting that the virus is very contagious and advised persons to cover their coughs as a precaution.

It was explained that persons with chronic bronchitis and asthmatic conditions, as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and those whose immune systems have been weakened, are most at risk.

The virus caused a world-wide pandemic in 2009. It is now a human seasonal flu virus that also circulates in pigs. There were a few recorded cases in Saint Lucia that same year.

However, these cases were treated and there have been no reported cases of the disease so far this year.