UPDATE: Three confirmed deaths from H1 N1 | New

Nicole Dawkins-Wright, Acting Director of Emergencies, Disaster Management and Special Services at the Ministry of Health, confirmed that three Jamaicans have died of the H1N1 flu virus.

Dawkins-Wright said the deaths were recorded in St Ann, Kingston and St Catherine.

She also revealed that there had been 110 suspected cases of influenza since the beginning of the year.

Earlier this afternoon, Dawkins-Wright confirmed to The gleaner that the H1N1 virus is found in Jamaica but indicates that the type present is not the strain of swine flu.

According to her, the characteristics of the strains are different, but the manifestations, or symptoms, are the same.

Fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

"The H1N1 virus has been circulating annually in Jamaica since 2009. Although there is no difference in the manifestation of the H1N1 virus and swine flu, it is the strain that makes them different." said Dawkins-Wright.

She added that the ministry had issued a notice earlier this year that there was an increase in the number of influenza-like illnesses, mainly H1N1.

However, the checks carried out by The gleaner n 'revealed that a notice regarding an increase in the number of cases of influenza.

The Department of Health announced today that his wife, Karlene & # 39; Kerry & # 39; Magnus, died last Friday from complications of the virus.

"I heard that many people were dying of it.Kerry, the newspaper we received from the hospital, said that was the reason she was dead," Magnus said.

Opposition concerned

Dr. Dayton Campbell, Physician and Opposition Health Critic, said the public should not focus on the slight differences between strains of the H1N1 virus.

"The H1N1 flu would still be the group of symptoms, they always present themselves in exactly the same way.What the ministry should do is inform the public that the virus is present.

"They have the complications and everything – the swine flu, the H1N1 flu, are all covered by the same vaccine, so I do not know what difference they're trying to make, I'm not," said Campbell.

Referring to the department's opinion, Campbell stated that he had not informed the public of the presence of the virus on the island and the extent of the problem, but had instead highlighted general information.

The spokesman for the opposition said that he had been informed that there were currently patients with the virus in the intensive care unit of the University Hospital of West Indies, as well as a death occurred in St. Catherine.

"This is not something that should be scary, it's not something you should hide from the people," Campbell said.

He stressed that Jamaicans can not protect themselves from the virus if they are not informed by the Ministry of Health that it is on the island.

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