UAE | Health
Vaccine due to arrive to the UAE by mid-end of September
Health officials want to confirm effectiveness of medicine before importing since virus regenerates every six months
- By Abdullah Rasheed, Abu Dhabi Editor, and Dina El Shammaa|, Staff Reporter
- Published: 22:28 July 7, 2009
- Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
- Countries around the world have tightened health security measures to combat the spread of swine flu.
Abu Dhabi: Vaccines that help prevent swine flu will not arrive to the UAE before September, a senior official at the National Committee for Combating Swine Flu (NCCSF) confirmed.
Six new H1N1 cases have also been confirmed by the Ministry of Health. The six new cases that came from abroad have been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment and fully recovering as announced by the ministry.
Read in-depth report on swine flu
The ministry announced that an integrated plan set up by the specialised authorities proved to be affective in treating all cases infected with the virus.
Residents travelling to affected countries or who wish to travel on Umrah have been advised that the first batch of the vaccine against swine flu (which is currently being tested), is said to arrive from Europe by the middle to the end of September.
"Viruses regenerate every six months, so the vaccine must be tested a few times to test its effectiveness for six months. Till then the only treatment we have is Tamiflu tablets," a senior official from the NCCSF said.
The WHO recently sent a copy of a circular to the UAE Ministry of Health and the NCCSF, which said that three different cases of swine flu in Japan have not been responsive to Tamiflu tablets. Even though the patients are still alive, are not responding to the treatment.
"That's why we have not rushed importing the vaccine, and are being very observant and careful with the type of treatments we use on swine flu patients," the NCCSF official said.
Presently, there are 20 swine flu cases in the UAE, three of which are in stable condition and are receiving treatment.
The rest have been treated and said to have moved on with their lives normally.
However, WAM has reported that the number of people diagnosed with H1N1 who have been discharged from hospital is 20.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been in close dialogue with influenza vaccine manufacturers.
"I understand that production of vaccines for seasonal influenza will be completed soon, and that full capacity will be available to ensure the largest possible supply of pandemic vaccine in the months to come.
"Pending the availability of vaccines, several non-pharmaceutical interventions can confer some protection," Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the WHO, said.
WHO continues to recommend no restrictions on travel and no border closures.
Factfile: Understanding H1N1
- The H1N1 virus infects mostly younger people. In nearly all areas with large and sustained outbreaks, the majority of cases have occurred among people under the age of 25 years.
- Approximately two per cent of cases have developed severe illness, often with very rapid progression to life-threatening pneumonia.
- Most cases of severe and fatal infections have been in adults between the ages of 30 and 50 years.
- Many, though not all, severe cases have occurred in people with underlying chronic conditions. Conditions most frequently seen include respiratory diseases, notably asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune disorders and obesity.
- Around one-third to half of the severe and fatal infections are occurring in previously healthy young and middle-aged people.
- Without question, pregnant women are at increased risk of complications. This heightened risk takes on added importance for a virus, like this one, that is more likely to infect younger people.
- It is still unknown how the virus will behave under conditions typically found in the developing world. To date, the vast majority of cases have been detected and investigated in comparatively well-off countries, with around 85 per cent of the burden of chronic diseases concentrated in low and middle-income countries.
- Staff Report
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