Swine flu “unstoppable” but not severe

WHO organises forum in Cancun to prepare for next winter’s challenges. So far 77,000 cases have been confirmed and 332 deaths. In Great Britain health authorities expect 100,000 new swine flu cases a day by the end of summer. Pregnant women and people with underlying health problems are those most at risk. In China a woman thought to have swine flu dies from electric shock performed by medical staff.

Cancun (AsiaNews/Agencies) – World Health Organisation (WHO) head Margaret Chan said that the spread of the swine flu is unstoppable.

The United Nations top health official yesterday opened a forum on combating swine flu with experts and health ministers from around the world gathered to deal with the coming challenges.
The venue, the Mexican tourist resort of Cancun, was chosen to show confidence in Mexico, which has been hard hit by the flu. Cancun’s economy has badly affected by the flu.

"Mexico is a safe, as well as a beautiful and warmly gracious, place to visit,” the WHO chief said.
But “the H1N1 virus has entered more than 100 countries, infected more than 70,000 people and killed more than 300 worldwide,” she warned.

With the Southern Hemisphere in the midst of its winter flu season, Chan said officials are keeping a close watch on those countries.

Countries like Great Britain and Australia have also recorded many cases.

In Britain health authorities expect 100,000 new swine flu cases a day by the end of August.
Australia has the most cases in the Asia-Pacific region, with more than 4,568 confirmed as of Thursday, an increase of almost 200 in one day.

Worldwide, 332 people have died and more than 77,000 have been infected since the alarm went out almost two months ago.

Ms Chan stressed that the overwhelming majority of patients experienced mild symptoms and made a full recovery within a week, often in the absence of any form of medical treatment.

The exceptions, she said, were pregnant women and people with underlying health problems, who were at higher risk from complications from the virus and should be monitored if they fell ill.

In some cases patients do not die from the flu but from medical malpractice. In Hangzhou (China) a woman was hospitalised on 23 June, seemingly with the swine flu, but died on 1 July.

Initially the flue was blamed but an autopsy demonstrated that the 34-year-old woman died of an electric shock performed by the medical staff.

Furious relatives descended on the hospital attacking ambulances and offices.