Gulf News "Health": H1N1 virus against seasonal flu virus

In response to a number of local newspapers and social networking sites about the presence of H1N1 cases in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Department of Public Health has stated that the H1N1 flu virus is a seasonal influenza virus and does not require no further action because the cases were treated like a normal flu. The Kingdom of Bahrain continuously monitors cases of influenza.

The Ministry of Health attaches particular importance to infectious diseases and defines preventive measures, including seasonal influenza, which is monitored throughout the year by monitoring cases recorded by health centers, private clinics and clinics. hospital admissions, in accordance with internationally recommended scientific evidence.

It also monitors weekly influenza outbreaks in the Kingdom compared to countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and the world, with the Kingdom of Bahrain being one of the countries in the global influenza surveillance network.

Approximately 658 influenza samples from different health facilities were examined: laboratory tests were positive for 174 influenza samples of all types, of which 26%, including the H1N1 virus, which is now a virus seasonal rather than a pandemic virus. Preventive and curative measures have been taken, as in other cases of seasonal influenza, and no global recommendation for further action on influenza has been made this year, which has been observed in the Kingdom this season corresponds to current trends at regional and global levels.

The Ministry of Health calls on citizens and residents of the Kingdom of Bahrain to collect information from reliable sources on the basis of scientific evidence and to stress the importance of respecting influenza prevention methods, which is to promote healthy behaviors to prevent transmission such as washing hands, nose and mouth to cough or sneeze, tissues used in their assigned location and to keep hands clean after contact with respiratory secretions.

She also highlighted the importance of immunization in preventing influenza and its complications, especially in people at risk of infection, such as people with chronic diseases, the elderly and others. provided by the Ministry of Health to target groups of health centers.