2009 flu pandemic by country
Encyclopedia
This article deals with the status and efforts regarding the 2009 flu pandemic
by country and continent/region.
, in particular, are only meaningful up to 2 July 2009, when routine testing stopped and presumed cases were treated without laboratory confirmation of diagnosis. Following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), many countries stopped issuing the numbers of the infected population, making this list inaccurate.
*Includes countries with over 40 confirmed cases only.
The Egyptian government ordered the mass slaughter of all pigs in Egypt on April 29, even though the current strain is a human-human transmittable, human influenza that has already previously hybridized with avian and swine flu. The World Organization for Animal Health called the swine killing "scientifically unjustified".
The first case of the novel H1N1 virus was discovered in Cairo, Egypt on June 2, 2009, in a 12-year-old girl coming from the USA with her mother. Only the girl was infected, and the officials caught the case before getting out of the airport. A second and third case were discovered on Sunday 7 June 2009, 2 students at the American University of Cairo.
On June 11, 2 more cases were discovered, bringing the total number of swine flu cases to 12 in Egypt.
The swine flu has been confirmed in 21 African countries: Egypt, South Africa, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Seychelles, Cape Verde, Libya, Kenya, Uganda, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mauritius, Somalia, Sudan, Namibia, Zambia, Gabon, and Rwanda.
The H1N1 virus was a concern in the months leading up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup
, which took place in June 2010 in South Africa
.
On April 27, Azerbaijan
imposed a ban on import of animal husbandry
products from America. AZAL
took additional safety measures and a sanitary quarantine unit of the Health Ministry started to operate in Heydar Aliyev International Airport
with all aircraft and passengers being checked. On May 2 all checkpoints
on borders with Russia passed to the medium security and disinfection barriers for both cars and pedestrians were installed at the Samur, Shirvanovka and Khan Oba checkpoints in Qusar and Khachmaz Raions. The veterinary services at checkpoints intensified their activities while hog farms in the northern regions passed to the closed farming regime.
Seventy-seven cases have been confirmed in Israel
. In response to the outbreak, the Israeli Deputy Minister of Health
, Yaakov Litzman
, suggested out of respect for the religious sensibilities of Jews and Muslims, the flu should be called "Mexican Flu." This was done so as to not confuse the population into thinking that they could not acquire the virus if they did not eat pork. The Israeli government retracted this proposal following Mexican complaints.
The first confirmed cases of swine flu in Kuwait were reported on May 23, after about 18 people on U.S. military bases tested positive.
On May 30, 2009 three cases of swine flu were confirmed in Lebanon, the first in the country. "One Lebanese man who was in Spain and two Canadians who arrived in Lebanon a week ago are suffering from swine flu," the health minister said. "We put them in quarantine and the blood samples we have taken every day have proven to be positive. The Lebanese man and the two visiting Canadians – a woman and her daughter – were given the proper medical treatment in time and they are well now." The Lebanese Health Minister had previously asked citizens to stop the social habit of kissing. He also requested that affected schoolchildren be kept at home and that travel to countries in which cases have been confirmed be avoided. Beirut also banned the import of pork.
In Saudi Arabia
, the first case of swine flu, which affected a Filipino nurse working at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, was confirmed on June 1. The Health Ministry in cooperation with King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center has applied the national plan for the prevention of Swine Flu in a manner that matches with the recommendations of WHO. Accordingly, the patient was isolated and provided with the required medical treatment. Arrangements are underway to examine those who were in contact with the patient to get sure that they are not infected. Saudi Arabia also took precautions and have currently closed all ISG (International Schools Group) schools after the eid holiday. In case they went back to their home country and contracted the virus. Schools willbe closed till at least October 10.
All people entering India
via the main airport hubs of Mumbai
, New Delhi
, Kolkata
, Ahmedabad
, Goa
, Jaipur
, Kochi, Chennai
, Bangalore
and Hyderabad are being screened. The primary focus is on passengers entering from the United States of America, The United Kingdom, Canada
, Mexico
, France
, and New Zealand
. As of 25 October 2009, over 13,000 cases have been confirmed in India, with 444 deaths, starting with a 13-year-old girl's death in the city of Pune
, where almost 91 people died in the city.
In the Maldives, a ministerial committee has been established to supervise swine flu preventive measures to avoid an outbreak. All visitors arriving at the Malé
International Airport on Hulhule Island and the country's three commercial seaports are being screened.
Pakistan has taken precautionary measures at the international airports to check passengers coming from swine flu affected countries. Doctors are checking the incoming passengers and allow entry only to those with no flu symptoms. The major hospitals in all the big cities are on high alert.
Cambodia's health authorities remain alert but confident that the country is prepared for a swine flu pandemic. In terms of ensuring that infected pigs do not spread the disease to Cambodia, the Cambodian Pig Raiser Association said it has told the government it should ban live pig imports. But Khlauk Chuon, the deputy director of Camcontrol at the Ministry of Commerce, said they would only ban live pig imports from a country that has been hit with swine flu.
The Indonesia
n government halted the importation of pigs and initiated the examination of 9 million pigs in Indonesia. Thermal scanners which can detect human body temperature have been installed at Indonesian ports of entry.
The Lao government bought 10 thermal imaging machines to install at the country's major immigration border checkpoints. The Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh
said masks should be made available and health officials would be assigned to work at border checkpoints. On 22 July, Laos recorded its first death from influenza A(H1N1).
In Malaysia, health screenings were carried out on passengers traveling to and from Mexico via sea, air and land beginning April 17. The Health Ministry's disease control division activated its operations room to monitor the swine flu situation and informed medical practitioners treating suspicious cases to inform the district health office immediately. Thermal scanners were installed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport
. Screenings were imposed in Pengkalan Hulu
, at the border with Thailand
, in late April. Quarantine rooms had been allocated in 28 hospitals, and the country has stockpiled more than 2 million doses of Tamiflu, as of May 2009. Schools were issued strict hygiene procedures on May 16 to contain any H1N1 outbreak among students and teachers. On May 15, the Health Ministry confirmed Malaysia's first case of A (H1N1) infection of a male student who had arrived via air from Newark
. The first A(H1N1) related death was reported on 23 July 2009. As of August 11, 2009 there has been 2,253 confirmed cases in Malaysia. As of August 12, 2009 the total number of A(H1N1) related deaths in Malaysia stands at 44.
In Myanmar, Chairman of Global Human Flu Prevention and Response Work Committee Deputy Minister for Health Dr Mya Oo inspected preventive measures against the human flu at Yangon International Airport on May 1.
In the Philippines, thermal imaging equipment at airports was implemented to screen passengers coming from the US for flu symptoms. The Philippines may quarantine travelers arriving from Mexico with fevers. Also, the importation of hogs from the U.S. and Mexico was manned, and the restriction of swine influenza vaccine use was retracted. On May 18, 2009, a Filipina girl who arrived from Houston
, USA was the first confirmed case of H1N1 virus in the Philippines. As of June 15, 2009, there were 193 confirmed cases. By June 22, first known death was reported.
The first case of Influenza A (H1N1-2009) in Singapore was confirmed on May 27, 2009. It was announced on June 18, 2009 that Singapore appeared to have its first case of local infection of the A(H1N1) virus. As of July 7 there have been reported 1,217 confirmed cases of A(H1N1) in Singapore. As of July 25, there were 4 confirmed deaths related to A(H1N1) virus in Singapore.
Vietnam
's Ministry of Health released an emergency dispatch and urged agencies to take precautionary measures against swine flu. Thermal imaging devices were dispatched to airports and border gates to screen passengers. In response to WHO's warnings, Vietnam on April 30, 2009 raised its swine flu alert level to 4 which indicated a "threat of community level outbreaks" while local authorities have been executing precautionary measures. On May 1, 2009 an Vietnam
's Ministry of Industry and Trade official said that Ministry was considering a ban
on pork import "under certain situations" to prevent swine flu from entering Vietnam. As of May 31, 2009. The Government of Vietnam announced its First new case of A(H1N1) virus in the Country. A 23 years old Vietnamese student who recently returned from the United States has tested positive for swine flu.
On April 26, it was announced that visitors returning from flu-affected areas to China who experienced flu-like symptoms within two weeks would be quarantined. May 2, the Chinese government
suspended flights from Tijuana
to Shanghai
. Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Administration of China
also assigned a charter to transport stranded Chinese visitors back home. The first suspected case found on mainland China was reported on May 10, 2009.
On April 29, 2009 the Food and Health Bureau of Hong Kong advised Hong Kong residents not to travel to Mexico unless absolutely necessary. The first case reported was a Mexican who flew in from Shanghai. The Bureau also escalated the alert level from "alert" to "serious", which activated health protection measures in all ports of entry
of Hong Kong. As such, temperature screening machines are used at all checkpoints to identify passengers with fever and respiratory symptoms. Any passenger who fails the temperature test and confirmed having a fever will be quarantined and sent to public hospital for further investigation. Hong Kong also became one of the first jurisdictions to declare the swine flu as a notifiable disease
, and much of the procedures against the spread of the swine flu were learned from the 2003 SARS outbreak
, of which Hong Kong was the epicenter of the outbreak. On May 1, one case became the first confirmed case of swine flu in Hong Kong and also the first in Asia. The Mexican patient arrived in Hong Kong on April 30. Metropark Hotel Wanchai, where the patient stayed, was quarantined. After the first swine flu case was confirmed by laboratory, Hong Kong's response level was raised from "serious" to "emergency".
In Japan, any live pigs being brought into the country were inspected to ensure they were not infected with the influenza. Japanese Agriculture Minister Shigeru Ishiba
appeared on television to reassure customers that it is safe to eat pork. The Japanese farm ministry said that it would not ask for restrictions on pork imports because the virus was unlikely to turn up in pork, and would be killed by cooking. On 8 May, the first three cases were confirmed. The infected patients had spent time in Canada and returned to Japan via Detroit. The first domestic infection was confirmed on 16 May in Kobe
. As of 18 May, 130 cases had been confirmed.
South Korea warned against travel to Mexico City and three Mexican states. The government has also stepped up quarantine and safety checks on travelers arriving from the United States and Mexico, and pork imports from those countries. An emergency quarantine system is also in place, with simple tests conducted on people arriving with flu symptoms at airports. On April 28, South Korea reported its first probable case of swine flu after positive preliminary tests on a nun who had recently returned from a trip to Mexico. Several sources have informed that one case has been confirmed by lab in South Korea, on April 30. On May 2, the first suspected woman turned out to be infected with the influenza A subtype H1N1. South Korea became the second infected nation in Asia. On September 13, five people died, and 1 person got a brain death. As of November, 107,939 have been infected.
On May 20, 2009, the first case of the influenza has been confirmed in Taiwan
The government had previously taken several steps to prevent the possible outbreak of Swine Flu, including a command center set up, travel alerts for infected nations, and more severe health check been conducted at international ports. Taiwan said visitors who came back from affected areas with fevers would be quarantined. According to The Department of Health
(DOH), Taiwan has a sufficient supply of surgical masks and vaccine to deal with the flu. The DOH also stated that they have 50 million to 60 million masks in stock and local manufacturers have the capability of producing 200,000 doses of the flu vaccine a month. In an effort to prevent the entry of the swine influenza, the Centers for Disease Control has announced on April 28 that every flight from the Americas, specifically Canada and the United States, that arrives in Taiwan from April 29 and onward will be subject to a strict on-board screening procedure.
On July 2, the first case of oseltamivir
-resistant virus in Asia was announced in Japan, in a woman who had been taking Tamiflu prophylacticly.
On July 18, 2009, Hong Kong had its first swine flu death.
On July 3, a case of Tamiflu-resistant virus was discovered in a woman suffering from the flu. The woman had not previously taken Tamiflu, so concern has been expressed that she may have contracted an already resistant virus from someone else.
On 28 August 2009, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
announced that it estimated approximately 760,000 people would be infected and 46,400 hospitalized per day during the expected peak time of October 2009. Overall they predict 20% of rural Japanese to become infected and 30% in city areas.
On April 27, the Spanish Ministry of Health and Social Policy announced that a man in Castilla-La Mancha who had recently returned from Mexico had contracted the disease. The man, aged 23, had returned from Mexico on April 22 and had been quarantined on the 25th. This was the first confirmed case in Europe.
On April 27, the European Union
health commissioner advised Europeans not to travel to the United States or Mexico unless urgent. This followed the discovery of the first confirmed case in Spain.
On June 14, It was reported that the United Kingdom had its first confirmed swine flu related death. The individual was a Scottish woman named Diana Barnett.
As of December 22, every European country, apart from the 5 microstates have confirmed deaths due to swine flu. France has 27 confirmed deaths; Spain has 33 confirmed deaths; Norway has 29 confirmed deaths (Jan 4, 2010); Italy has 6 confirmed deaths; Belgium and Germany have 8 confirmed deaths; Sweden has 3 confirmed deaths (Nov 3); Malta and Greece has 3 confirmed deaths; Denmark, Finland , Hungary and Luxemburg all have one confirmed death; Ireland and the Netherlands have 10 confirmed deaths each and the United Kingdom has 79 confirmed deaths along with the British government suggesting 55,000 new case of Swine Flu reported in the week up to the 16th of July 2009. The British government has also warned that deaths from swine flu this winter could be between 19,000 and 65,000 in the UK alone.
Hungary reported the first death in the country on July 22. Ireland reported its first death on August 7.
As of August 19, all European countries with the exception of the micro states San Marino and Vatican City have reported confirmed cases.
In Canada
, roughly 10% of the populace has been infected with the virus, with 363 confirmed death
s (as of December 8, 2009); there were over 10,000 confirmed cases when Health Canada
stopped counting in July 2009. Canada began its vaccination campaign in October and 25% of the populace has since been immunized against H1N1
, with Canada leading the world in the percentage of the population vaccinated. The pandemic was a concern in the months leading to the XXI Olympic Winter Games
, which took place in Vancouver
on February 2010.
Dr. José Ángel Córdova Villalobos, Mexico's Secretariat of Health
, stated that since March 2009, there have been over 1,995 suspected cases and 149 deaths, with 20 confirmed to be linked to a new swine influenza strain of Influenza A virus subtype H1N1. "'As many as 23,000 Mexicans were likely infected with the swine flu virus,' Neil Ferguson of Imperial College London and colleagues reported in the journal Science." Soldiers mobilized by the government have handed out six million surgical masks to citizens in and around Mexico City
.
On April 24, 2009, schools (from pre-school to university level) as well as libraries, museums, concerts and any public gathering place, were shut down by the government in Mexico City and the neighboring State of Mexico to prevent the disease from spreading further; the schools in Mexico City, the State of Mexico, and the state of San Luis Potosí
will remain closed until at least May 5. Marcelo Ebrard
, Mexico City's mayor, has also asked all night-life operators to shut down their places of business for ten days to prevent further infections.
On April 25, President
Felipe Calderón
declared an emergency which granted him the power to suspend public events and order quarantines. On April 26, the World Bank
announced US$
25 million in immediate aid loans to Mexico, an additional US$ 180 million for long-term assistance to address the outbreak, and advice on how other nations have responded to similar crises. On April 27, the Secretariat of Public Education
announced that all schools in Mexico will remain closed at least until May 6. On April 28, the Mexico City government closed all restaurants and cinemas. The National History and Anthroplogy Institute also closed all its archaeological sites and museums, including the most famous Mayan and Aztec ruins, until further notice.
In the United States, initial reports of atypical flu in two individuals in southern California led to the discovery of the novel swine flu virus by the CDC in mid-April. More than a hundred cases were confirmed in the next two weeks, spread through a dozen states. Outside of California and Texas, initial cases were all tied to recent travel to Mexico or close contact with those who had recently visited Mexico. St. Francis Preparatory School
, a private school in New York, was the center of a large cluster of cases after a Spring Break trip by several students, and perforce one of the first U.S. schools to be closed as a public health measure during the early outbreak. Most of the cases in California and Texas are not linked and may reflect localized outbreaks of this virus in those areas. The disease was not as virulent outside of Mexico as within Mexico, for reasons not fully understood. The US declared a state of Public Health Emergency
but this was said to be standard procedure in cases as divergent as the recent inauguration and flooding. On April 29, the US suffered its first confirmed death of swine flu, and on May 5 the first US citizen died from swine flu. As of June 6, there were 17 confirmed deaths from swine flu in the US. As of mid-May 2009 many states had abandoned testing for likely influenza cases unless serious illness and/or hospitalization were present. Because reported numbers represent only confirmed cases, they are a "very great understatement" of the total number of cases of infection, according to the CDC
. The real number of swine flu cases in the United States could be 「upwards of 100,000,」 a top public health official estimated on Friday — far higher than the official count of 7,415 cases confirmed by laboratories.
As of October 20, 2009, swine flu cases have reached over 256,000, with 2,800 deaths in the United States.
In Aruba, all passengers arriving by airplane or cruise ship
were required to fill out a health questionnaire
beginning on April 27, 2009. Hotels and resorts are required to report to authorities if any tourists are showing flu-like symptoms. The government of Aruba also ordered antiviral
medication and other supplies from the Netherlands
and the United States
. No swine flu cases have been reported.
In Barbados, the first confirmed case of the H1N1 virus occurred on June 3, 2009. The second case was confirmed on June 6. The third case was confirmed on June 10. The fourth case was confirmed on June 17. Twenty five outstanding samples have been sent to the Caribbean Epidemiology Center, the results of which would confirm if there is in-country transmission.
Cuba suspended flights to and from Mexico for 48 hours. The first case of swine flu in Cuba was confirmed in mid-May.
The first two cases in the Dominican Republic were confirmed on May 27. On June 5, a 17-year-old pregnant girl infected with the AH1N1 virus died. 93 cases were confirmed to this date.
As of 7 July 2009, there has been 33 confirmed cases of swine flu in Jamaica. Health Minister Ruddy Spencer told Parliament that the country has been placed on high alert. There has been heightened surveillance at health care facilities and port entry's.
In Trinidad and Tobago, one female has been confirmed as having contracted the H1N1 influenza.
In the Bahamas, ten students and teachers who arrived from Mexico in the last week of April are in quarantine.
, both of whom had traveled to Mexico, were confirmed on April 28. On July 31 local authorities announced that the country was selected among the sample countries that will be part of the test of the vaccine
developed by Swiss pharmaceutical Novartis
. The local sample will include 784 Costa Ricans ages 3 to 64. Besides Costa Rica, this vaccine prototype will be tested also in Mexico and the United States.
On August 11, it was confirmed that Costa Rica's President, Óscar Arias Sánchez, was infected with the A(H1N1) virus, becoming the first head of state
sick with the A(H1N1) virus. President Arias return to his normal activities after one week of isolation at his home. As of October 15 the Costa Rican Ministry of Health had 1,530 confirmed cases, 1,242 pending cases, 7,404 already discarded, and 38 deaths.
Guatemala
is checking all travelers arriving from Mexico for signs of flu and stopping anyone with symptoms of the virus at border crossings. On May 5, in a meeting with Health Minister and the Vicepresident, it was announced that an 11-year-old girl was infected with the AH1N1 virus. As of July 7 the Guatemala had 286 confirmed cases leading to two fatalities.
Honduras
reported its first confirmed case of A(H1N1) flu on 27 May 2009. By June 7 the country had reported 67 cases, most of the cases on the city of San Pedro Sula
and the Atlantic Coastline. There are few cases on other cities and areas. All airports and commercial sites as well as public events are monitored. As of July 7 there were 123 confirmed cases and one fatality.
As on June 4, 179 confirmed cases had been reported by Panama
nian health authorities. Of these, 91 were male and 88 were female. Schools with positive cases are being disinfected. Thermal cameras had been deployed in Tocumen International Airport
to identify sickness among arriving passengers.
As of July 7, El Salvador
reported 319 confirmed cases, and Nicaragua
321. Panama and Nicaragua have not reported any fatalities.
The first confirmed case in Australia was reported on May 9. As of July 3, 2009, Australia has 7,290 confirmed cases. The first Australian death was on June 19 and the total death toll has risen to 20. The alert level has been lifted from "delay" to "contain", giving authorities in all states the option to close schools if students are at risk. Australia has a stockpile of 8.7 million doses of Tamiflu and Relenza. At the beginning of the outbreak airlines were required to report passengers from the Americas with influenza symptoms, and nurses were deployed at international airports.
On May 30, New Zealand had 9 laboratory confirmed cases and 10 probable cases. All patients recovered. Over the month of June cases in New Zealand rose rapidly. On June 14 the Ministry of Health announced a 65% increase in cases in just 24 hours. On July 4, the Ministry of Health announced the first New Zealand deaths. There have been three confirmed deaths of patients who had tested positive for the flu, however two of them had known underlying medical conditions. The total number of confirmed cases has now reached 945.
and another in Samoa
. 5 cases has been confirmed in Fiji as of June 24 and 1 case in Vanuatu
.
In Argentina, as of April 2009, passengers with influenza symptoms arriving from Mexico and United States were required fill out a form to be located should they experience any symptoms. In addition, the government has also stepped up safety checks, and thermal scanners are being used on airports to detect passengers with fever and other influenza symptoms. Flights from Mexico were also temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure. These measures however have proven to be largely ineffective. As of June 22, Argentina had 1,213 confirmed cases of swine flu and 10 confirmed deaths, increasing to 52 confirmed deaths and an estimated number of as many as 100,000 affected people on July 2, as confirmed by the then newly appointed Minister of Health Juan Luis Manzur
. As of July 14, the number of officially recognised cases skyrocketed, with 137 deaths, making the death toll in Argentina the second highest in the world, only behind the United States and surpassing that of Mexico.
As of April 2009, Brazilian airports would monitor travelers arriving from affected areas, under the direction of the National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). Air crews were trained on signs and symptoms of swine influenza so that passengers displaying symptoms would receive guidance from ANVISA upon arrival. As of June 4, there were 28 confirmed cases of swine flu in Brazil.
The first case of A(H1N1) flu in Chile was confirmed on May 17. On May 29, the Chilean Health ministry confirmed the number of cases of A-H1N1 had risen to 224., the same day two more cases were confirmed. On June 3 Chile suffered its first confirmed death of swine flu, a 37-year-old man from Puerto Montt
. To the date, and since the laboratory tests are no longer mandatory, the estimation of cases in Chile go up to 500.000 cases.
On May 3, 2009, Minister Palacio confirmed the first case of A(H1N1) in Colombia, in a 42-year-old person from Zipaquirá
, who recently travelled to Mexico. According to Palacio, only one out of 18 tests sent to Atlanta was positive. The patient was isolated and put under medical treatment. On the same day, Palacio stated there were 108 suspect cases in the country. On April 27, the Government declared a "national disaster" state in order to face the emergency, which allowed health authorities to have a special budget to do so. The government purchased 400,000 oseltamivir
(Tamiflu) doses, which will be distributed through the Social Protection ministry to the affected if there are confirmed cases.
Health officials are carrying out checks on people with flu symptoms entering the country from sea or air.
On April 29, Ecuador closed its borders to Mexican citizens and foreigners of other nationalities arriving from Mexico for a period of 30 days. On May 15, Health officials confirmed the first case of AH1N1 flu in Ecuador . On May 20, the Health Department confirmed 7 more new cases of AH1N1, raising the total number of infected people to 8, the number has now risen to 41.
The first case of swine flu in Peru was confirmed on n May 14. On May 17, the second case was confirmed, an American-born man residing in Arequipa
. He had returned from the US on May 12, not showing any symptoms until two days later. On May 18 a new case was confirmed, a scholar returning from a trip to Dominican Republic
, that studied in the Altair school. another case of a scholar from the same trip to Dominican Republic. Student had contact with 3rd victim and both studied in the same school. The Governor of Callao
ordered that all passengers from any infected country be checked before their arrival on Peru
vian territory. Also, the Peruvian government must be warned of any case or symptom of fever. This step is in order to prevent any infections, since the main port and airport of Peru
are located in Callao
. Also, the government has prepared a special area at the Hospital "Daniel Alcides Carrión" to treat cases of this disease. Efforts are being made to examine slaughterhouses and they are screening incoming passengers from problem areas. All commercial flights from Mexico to Peru were suspended on April 29.
In Venezuela, controls have been raised at airports to prevent contagion from spreading. Travellers from the United States and Mexico with flu symptoms are being isolated until they are given the all clear. Pig farms in the country are being "closely inspected" and stockpiles of medicines built up. On May 28 the Health Minister, Jesús Mantilla
, confirmed the first case of the A/H1N1 flu in a Venezuelan citizen who arrived in a flight from Panama
. He was isolated to the place he is receiving treatment and his condition is stable. The following day, a second case was confirmed from another person who also arrived from the same flight.
One selection bias
in epidemiology pertains to authorities in different jurisdictions looking at different sets of patient populations. For example, in the early days of the pandemic, doctors in Mexico may have been concentrating on patients in hospitals, rather than the larger vulnerable population, which may in part explain the higher mortality recorded in the country. Conversely, it is implausible that few, if any, have died in Mexico in recent months when Brazil and the United States have accumulated hundreds of additional lab-confirmed deaths in the same period. Media bias
in reporting swine flu cases and deaths may skew incidence maps based on these media reports. Countries with poor health care systems and poor laboratory facilities may take longer to identify suspected cases, analyse those cases, and report them. Passive data collection methodologies (waiting for the patient to arrive at a health care facility) are considered inferior to active data collection techniques (performing random stratified sampling
) due to various forms of selection bias. and because laboratory facilities to perform swift genetic tests on patient samples are not widely available. there are no properly controlled epidemiological studies for the 2009 swine flu outbreak.
2009 flu pandemic
The 2009 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the second of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus , albeit in a new version...
by country and continent/region.
Overview
As the pandemic progresses, laboratory testing and confirmation may decrease. Confirmed figures for the United Kingdom2009 flu pandemic in the United Kingdom
The 2009 flu pandemic is a global outbreak of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1, first identified in April 2009, termed Pandemic H1N1/09 virus by the World Health Organization and colloquially called swine flu. The outbreak was first observed in Mexico, and quickly spread globally. On...
, in particular, are only meaningful up to 2 July 2009, when routine testing stopped and presumed cases were treated without laboratory confirmation of diagnosis. Following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), many countries stopped issuing the numbers of the infected population, making this list inaccurate.
| Pos. | Country | All population figures are estimates for July 2009 from the source: | Confirmed cases |
Confirmed cases per 1,000 inhabitants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 306,694 | 8,650 | 28.20 | |
| 2 | 10,707,924 | 166,922 | 15.59 | |
| – | 11,870 | 106 | 8.93 | |
| 3 | 10,414,336 | 214,531 | 20.59 | |
| – | 559,846 | 2,625 | 4.68 | |
| – | 7,055,071 | 31,554 | 4.47 | |
| 4 | 46,700,000 | (155,051) | 3.32 | |
| 5 | 2,691,158 | 8,622 | 3.20 | |
| 6 | 338,190 | 972 | 2.87 | |
| – | 91,626 | 234 | 2.55 | |
| 7 | 82,080,000 | (192,348) | 2.34 | |
| 8 | 48,600,000 | 107,939 | 2.22 | |
| 9 | 20,796 | 46 | 2.21 | |
| – | 49,035 | 105 | 2.14 | |
| 10 | 405,165 | 718 | 1.77 | |
| World | 6,790,062,216 | 25,584,595 | 3.76 |
*Includes countries with over 40 confirmed cases only.
Africa
 |
The Egyptian government ordered the mass slaughter of all pigs in Egypt on April 29, even though the current strain is a human-human transmittable, human influenza that has already previously hybridized with avian and swine flu. The World Organization for Animal Health called the swine killing "scientifically unjustified".
The first case of the novel H1N1 virus was discovered in Cairo, Egypt on June 2, 2009, in a 12-year-old girl coming from the USA with her mother. Only the girl was infected, and the officials caught the case before getting out of the airport. A second and third case were discovered on Sunday 7 June 2009, 2 students at the American University of Cairo.
On June 11, 2 more cases were discovered, bringing the total number of swine flu cases to 12 in Egypt.
The swine flu has been confirmed in 21 African countries: Egypt, South Africa, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Seychelles, Cape Verde, Libya, Kenya, Uganda, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mauritius, Somalia, Sudan, Namibia, Zambia, Gabon, and Rwanda.
The H1N1 virus was a concern in the months leading up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
, which took place in June 2010 in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Asia
 |
Western and Central Asia
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
imposed a ban on import of animal husbandry
Animal husbandry
Animal husbandry is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock.- History :Animal husbandry has been practiced for thousands of years, since the first domestication of animals....
products from America. AZAL
Azal
Azal Branco is a white Portuguese wine grape planted primarily in the Minho region. It noted for the high acidity of its wines, and is used for white Vinho Verde...
took additional safety measures and a sanitary quarantine unit of the Health Ministry started to operate in Heydar Aliyev International Airport
Heydar Aliyev International Airport
Heydar Aliyev International Airport is the international airport in Azerbaijan located northeast of the capital Baku. The airport is the home of Azerbaijan Airlines, the national flag carrier...
with all aircraft and passengers being checked. On May 2 all checkpoints
Border checkpoint
A border checkpoint is a place, generally between two countries, where travellers and/or goods are inspected. Authorization often is required to enter a country through its borders. Access-controlled borders often have a limited number of checkpoints where they can be crossed without legal...
on borders with Russia passed to the medium security and disinfection barriers for both cars and pedestrians were installed at the Samur, Shirvanovka and Khan Oba checkpoints in Qusar and Khachmaz Raions. The veterinary services at checkpoints intensified their activities while hog farms in the northern regions passed to the closed farming regime.
Seventy-seven cases have been confirmed in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. In response to the outbreak, the Israeli Deputy Minister of Health
Health Minister of Israel
The Ministry of Health is a ministry in the Israeli government. The current Minister of Health is Binyamin Netanyahu of Likud.There is occasionally a Deputy Minister of Health...
, Yaakov Litzman
Yaakov Litzman
Yaakov Litzman is an Israeli politician and Deputy Government Minister. A follower of the Ger Hasidic dynasty, he heads the Agudat Israel part of the United Torah Judaism faction in the Knesset.-Biography:...
, suggested out of respect for the religious sensibilities of Jews and Muslims, the flu should be called "Mexican Flu." This was done so as to not confuse the population into thinking that they could not acquire the virus if they did not eat pork. The Israeli government retracted this proposal following Mexican complaints.
The first confirmed cases of swine flu in Kuwait were reported on May 23, after about 18 people on U.S. military bases tested positive.
On May 30, 2009 three cases of swine flu were confirmed in Lebanon, the first in the country. "One Lebanese man who was in Spain and two Canadians who arrived in Lebanon a week ago are suffering from swine flu," the health minister said. "We put them in quarantine and the blood samples we have taken every day have proven to be positive. The Lebanese man and the two visiting Canadians – a woman and her daughter – were given the proper medical treatment in time and they are well now." The Lebanese Health Minister had previously asked citizens to stop the social habit of kissing. He also requested that affected schoolchildren be kept at home and that travel to countries in which cases have been confirmed be avoided. Beirut also banned the import of pork.
In Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, the first case of swine flu, which affected a Filipino nurse working at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, was confirmed on June 1. The Health Ministry in cooperation with King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center has applied the national plan for the prevention of Swine Flu in a manner that matches with the recommendations of WHO. Accordingly, the patient was isolated and provided with the required medical treatment. Arrangements are underway to examine those who were in contact with the patient to get sure that they are not infected. Saudi Arabia also took precautions and have currently closed all ISG (International Schools Group) schools after the eid holiday. In case they went back to their home country and contracted the virus. Schools willbe closed till at least October 10.
Southern Asia
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All people entering India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
via the main airport hubs of Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
, Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
, Kochi, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
and Hyderabad are being screened. The primary focus is on passengers entering from the United States of America, The United Kingdom, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. As of 25 October 2009, over 13,000 cases have been confirmed in India, with 444 deaths, starting with a 13-year-old girl's death in the city of Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, where almost 91 people died in the city.
In the Maldives, a ministerial committee has been established to supervise swine flu preventive measures to avoid an outbreak. All visitors arriving at the Malé
Malé
Malé , is the capital and most populous city in the Republic of Maldives. It is located at the southern edge of North Malé Atoll . It is also one of the Administrative divisions of the Maldives. Traditionally it was the King's Island, from where the ancient Maldive Royal dynasties ruled and where...
International Airport on Hulhule Island and the country's three commercial seaports are being screened.
Pakistan has taken precautionary measures at the international airports to check passengers coming from swine flu affected countries. Doctors are checking the incoming passengers and allow entry only to those with no flu symptoms. The major hospitals in all the big cities are on high alert.
Southeastern Asia
Since 8 July 2009 a total of 207 cases of A(H1N1) flu have been reported in Brunei.Cambodia's health authorities remain alert but confident that the country is prepared for a swine flu pandemic. In terms of ensuring that infected pigs do not spread the disease to Cambodia, the Cambodian Pig Raiser Association said it has told the government it should ban live pig imports. But Khlauk Chuon, the deputy director of Camcontrol at the Ministry of Commerce, said they would only ban live pig imports from a country that has been hit with swine flu.
The Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n government halted the importation of pigs and initiated the examination of 9 million pigs in Indonesia. Thermal scanners which can detect human body temperature have been installed at Indonesian ports of entry.
The Lao government bought 10 thermal imaging machines to install at the country's major immigration border checkpoints. The Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh
Bouasone Bouphavanh
Bouasone Bouphavanh was Prime Minister of Laos from 2006 to 2010. He was officially appointed to the office by the National Assembly of Laos on June 8, 2006, during a major government reshuffle. He replaced Bounnhang Vorachith who became vice president. Bouasone had previously served as first...
said masks should be made available and health officials would be assigned to work at border checkpoints. On 22 July, Laos recorded its first death from influenza A(H1N1).
In Malaysia, health screenings were carried out on passengers traveling to and from Mexico via sea, air and land beginning April 17. The Health Ministry's disease control division activated its operations room to monitor the swine flu situation and informed medical practitioners treating suspicious cases to inform the district health office immediately. Thermal scanners were installed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport , or KLIA serves the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and is one of Southeast Asia's largest airports. It is also Malaysia's main international airport. It is situated in the Sepang district, in the south of the state of Selangor, about from Kuala Lumpur...
. Screenings were imposed in Pengkalan Hulu
Pengkalan Hulu
Pengkalan Hulu, formerly known as Kroh or Keroh, is a town within Hulu Perak district, in northern Perak, Malaysia bordering Thailand and also the state of Kedah...
, at the border with Thailand
Malaysia-Thailand border
The Malaysia-Thailand border consists of both a land boundary across the Malay Peninsula and maritime boundaries in the Straits of Malacca and the Gulf of Thailand/South China Sea. Malaysia lies to the south of the border while Thailand lies to the north...
, in late April. Quarantine rooms had been allocated in 28 hospitals, and the country has stockpiled more than 2 million doses of Tamiflu, as of May 2009. Schools were issued strict hygiene procedures on May 16 to contain any H1N1 outbreak among students and teachers. On May 15, the Health Ministry confirmed Malaysia's first case of A (H1N1) infection of a male student who had arrived via air from Newark
Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...
. The first A(H1N1) related death was reported on 23 July 2009. As of August 11, 2009 there has been 2,253 confirmed cases in Malaysia. As of August 12, 2009 the total number of A(H1N1) related deaths in Malaysia stands at 44.
In Myanmar, Chairman of Global Human Flu Prevention and Response Work Committee Deputy Minister for Health Dr Mya Oo inspected preventive measures against the human flu at Yangon International Airport on May 1.
In the Philippines, thermal imaging equipment at airports was implemented to screen passengers coming from the US for flu symptoms. The Philippines may quarantine travelers arriving from Mexico with fevers. Also, the importation of hogs from the U.S. and Mexico was manned, and the restriction of swine influenza vaccine use was retracted. On May 18, 2009, a Filipina girl who arrived from Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, USA was the first confirmed case of H1N1 virus in the Philippines. As of June 15, 2009, there were 193 confirmed cases. By June 22, first known death was reported.
The first case of Influenza A (H1N1-2009) in Singapore was confirmed on May 27, 2009. It was announced on June 18, 2009 that Singapore appeared to have its first case of local infection of the A(H1N1) virus. As of July 7 there have been reported 1,217 confirmed cases of A(H1N1) in Singapore. As of July 25, there were 4 confirmed deaths related to A(H1N1) virus in Singapore.
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
's Ministry of Health released an emergency dispatch and urged agencies to take precautionary measures against swine flu. Thermal imaging devices were dispatched to airports and border gates to screen passengers. In response to WHO's warnings, Vietnam on April 30, 2009 raised its swine flu alert level to 4 which indicated a "threat of community level outbreaks" while local authorities have been executing precautionary measures. On May 1, 2009 an Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
's Ministry of Industry and Trade official said that Ministry was considering a ban
Ban (law)
A ban is, generally, any decree that prohibits something.Bans are formed for the prohibition of activities within a certain political territory. Some see this as a negative act and others see it as maintaining the "status quo"...
on pork import "under certain situations" to prevent swine flu from entering Vietnam. As of May 31, 2009. The Government of Vietnam announced its First new case of A(H1N1) virus in the Country. A 23 years old Vietnamese student who recently returned from the United States has tested positive for swine flu.
Eastern Asia
Government of the People's Republic of China
All power within the government of the People's Republic of China is divided among three bodies: the People's Republic of China, State Council, and the People's Liberation Army . This article is concerned with the formal structure of the state, its departments and their responsibilities...
suspended flights from Tijuana
Tijuana
Tijuana is the largest city on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics...
to Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Administration of China
Civil Aviation Administration of China
The Civil Aviation Administration of China , formerly the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China , is the aviation authority under the Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China. It oversees civil aviation and investigates aviation accidents and incidents...
also assigned a charter to transport stranded Chinese visitors back home. The first suspected case found on mainland China was reported on May 10, 2009.
On April 29, 2009 the Food and Health Bureau of Hong Kong advised Hong Kong residents not to travel to Mexico unless absolutely necessary. The first case reported was a Mexican who flew in from Shanghai. The Bureau also escalated the alert level from "alert" to "serious", which activated health protection measures in all ports of entry
Port of entry
In general, a port of entry is a place where one may lawfully enter a country. It typically has a staff of people who check passports and visas and inspect luggage to assure that contraband is not imported. International airports are usually ports of entry, as are road and rail crossings on a...
of Hong Kong. As such, temperature screening machines are used at all checkpoints to identify passengers with fever and respiratory symptoms. Any passenger who fails the temperature test and confirmed having a fever will be quarantined and sent to public hospital for further investigation. Hong Kong also became one of the first jurisdictions to declare the swine flu as a notifiable disease
Notifiable disease
A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities. The collation of information allows the authorities to monitor the disease, and provides early warning of possible outbreaks. Many governments have enacted regulations for reporting of both human...
, and much of the procedures against the spread of the swine flu were learned from the 2003 SARS outbreak
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS coronavirus . Between November 2002 and July 2003 an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,422 cases and 916 deaths worldwide according to the WHO...
, of which Hong Kong was the epicenter of the outbreak. On May 1, one case became the first confirmed case of swine flu in Hong Kong and also the first in Asia. The Mexican patient arrived in Hong Kong on April 30. Metropark Hotel Wanchai, where the patient stayed, was quarantined. After the first swine flu case was confirmed by laboratory, Hong Kong's response level was raised from "serious" to "emergency".
In Japan, any live pigs being brought into the country were inspected to ensure they were not infected with the influenza. Japanese Agriculture Minister Shigeru Ishiba
Shigeru Ishiba
Shigeru Ishiba is a Japanese politician. He was Minister of Defense under Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda from 2007 to 2008 and was also Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries....
appeared on television to reassure customers that it is safe to eat pork. The Japanese farm ministry said that it would not ask for restrictions on pork imports because the virus was unlikely to turn up in pork, and would be killed by cooking. On 8 May, the first three cases were confirmed. The infected patients had spent time in Canada and returned to Japan via Detroit. The first domestic infection was confirmed on 16 May in Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
. As of 18 May, 130 cases had been confirmed.
South Korea warned against travel to Mexico City and three Mexican states. The government has also stepped up quarantine and safety checks on travelers arriving from the United States and Mexico, and pork imports from those countries. An emergency quarantine system is also in place, with simple tests conducted on people arriving with flu symptoms at airports. On April 28, South Korea reported its first probable case of swine flu after positive preliminary tests on a nun who had recently returned from a trip to Mexico. Several sources have informed that one case has been confirmed by lab in South Korea, on April 30. On May 2, the first suspected woman turned out to be infected with the influenza A subtype H1N1. South Korea became the second infected nation in Asia. On September 13, five people died, and 1 person got a brain death. As of November, 107,939 have been infected.
On May 20, 2009, the first case of the influenza has been confirmed in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
The government had previously taken several steps to prevent the possible outbreak of Swine Flu, including a command center set up, travel alerts for infected nations, and more severe health check been conducted at international ports. Taiwan said visitors who came back from affected areas with fevers would be quarantined. According to The Department of Health
Department of Health (Republic of China)
Department of Health of the Republic of China is an executive agency of the Executive Yuan responsible for the administration of the public health system, affordable and universal health care, hospitals, pharmaceutical, immunisation programmes, disease prevention, supervision and coordination of...
(DOH), Taiwan has a sufficient supply of surgical masks and vaccine to deal with the flu. The DOH also stated that they have 50 million to 60 million masks in stock and local manufacturers have the capability of producing 200,000 doses of the flu vaccine a month. In an effort to prevent the entry of the swine influenza, the Centers for Disease Control has announced on April 28 that every flight from the Americas, specifically Canada and the United States, that arrives in Taiwan from April 29 and onward will be subject to a strict on-board screening procedure.
On July 2, the first case of oseltamivir
Oseltamivir
Oseltamivir INN , an antiviral drug, slows the spread of influenza virus between cells in the body by stopping the virus from chemically cutting ties with its host cell; median time to symptom alleviation is reduced by 0.5–1 day. The drug is sold under the trade name Tamiflu, and is taken orally...
-resistant virus in Asia was announced in Japan, in a woman who had been taking Tamiflu prophylacticly.
On July 18, 2009, Hong Kong had its first swine flu death.
On July 3, a case of Tamiflu-resistant virus was discovered in a woman suffering from the flu. The woman had not previously taken Tamiflu, so concern has been expressed that she may have contracted an already resistant virus from someone else.
On 28 August 2009, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan)
The ' is a cabinet level ministry of the Japanese government. It is commonly known as Kōrō-shō in Japan. This ministry provides regulations on maximum residue limits for agricultural chemicals in foods, basic food and drug regulations, standards for foods, food additives, etc.It was formed with...
announced that it estimated approximately 760,000 people would be infected and 46,400 hospitalized per day during the expected peak time of October 2009. Overall they predict 20% of rural Japanese to become infected and 30% in city areas.
Europe
On April 27, the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
health commissioner advised Europeans not to travel to the United States or Mexico unless urgent. This followed the discovery of the first confirmed case in Spain.
On June 14, It was reported that the United Kingdom had its first confirmed swine flu related death. The individual was a Scottish woman named Diana Barnett.
As of December 22, every European country, apart from the 5 microstates have confirmed deaths due to swine flu. France has 27 confirmed deaths; Spain has 33 confirmed deaths; Norway has 29 confirmed deaths (Jan 4, 2010); Italy has 6 confirmed deaths; Belgium and Germany have 8 confirmed deaths; Sweden has 3 confirmed deaths (Nov 3); Malta and Greece has 3 confirmed deaths; Denmark, Finland , Hungary and Luxemburg all have one confirmed death; Ireland and the Netherlands have 10 confirmed deaths each and the United Kingdom has 79 confirmed deaths along with the British government suggesting 55,000 new case of Swine Flu reported in the week up to the 16th of July 2009. The British government has also warned that deaths from swine flu this winter could be between 19,000 and 65,000 in the UK alone.
Hungary reported the first death in the country on July 22. Ireland reported its first death on August 7.
As of August 19, all European countries with the exception of the micro states San Marino and Vatican City have reported confirmed cases.
North America
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, roughly 10% of the populace has been infected with the virus, with 363 confirmed death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
s (as of December 8, 2009); there were over 10,000 confirmed cases when Health Canada
Health Canada
Health Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for national public health.The current Minister of Health is Leona Aglukkaq, a Conservative Member of Parliament appointed to the position by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.-Branches, regions and agencies:Health Canada...
stopped counting in July 2009. Canada began its vaccination campaign in October and 25% of the populace has since been immunized against H1N1
2009 flu pandemic vaccine
The 2009 flu pandemic vaccines are the set of influenza vaccines that have been developed to protect against the pandemic H1N1/09 virus. These vaccines either contain inactivated influenza virus, or weakened live virus that cannot cause influenza. The killed vaccine is injected, while the live...
, with Canada leading the world in the percentage of the population vaccinated. The pandemic was a concern in the months leading to the XXI Olympic Winter Games
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
, which took place in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
on February 2010.
Dr. José Ángel Córdova Villalobos, Mexico's Secretariat of Health
Secretariat of Health
The Secretariat of Health is the government department in charge ofall social health services in Mexico.The Secretary of Health is a member of the Executive Cabinet and is appointed at the discretion of the President of the Republic.In the last years, the Secretariat has played a more restricted...
, stated that since March 2009, there have been over 1,995 suspected cases and 149 deaths, with 20 confirmed to be linked to a new swine influenza strain of Influenza A virus subtype H1N1. "'As many as 23,000 Mexicans were likely infected with the swine flu virus,' Neil Ferguson of Imperial College London and colleagues reported in the journal Science." Soldiers mobilized by the government have handed out six million surgical masks to citizens in and around Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
.
On April 24, 2009, schools (from pre-school to university level) as well as libraries, museums, concerts and any public gathering place, were shut down by the government in Mexico City and the neighboring State of Mexico to prevent the disease from spreading further; the schools in Mexico City, the State of Mexico, and the state of San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí....
will remain closed until at least May 5. Marcelo Ebrard
Marcelo Ebrard
Marcelo Luis Ebrard Casaubón is the current Head of Government of the Federal District since December 5, 2006. He is a Mexican politician affiliated to the Party of the Democratic Revolution who served as Secretary-General of the former Mexican Federal District Department, minister of public...
, Mexico City's mayor, has also asked all night-life operators to shut down their places of business for ten days to prevent further infections.
On April 25, President
President of Mexico
The President of the United Mexican States is the head of state and government of Mexico. Under the Constitution, the president is also the Supreme Commander of the Mexican armed forces...
Felipe Calderón
Felipe Calderón
Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa is the current President of Mexico. He assumed office on December 1, 2006, and was elected for a single six-year term through 2012...
declared an emergency which granted him the power to suspend public events and order quarantines. On April 26, the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
announced US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
25 million in immediate aid loans to Mexico, an additional US$ 180 million for long-term assistance to address the outbreak, and advice on how other nations have responded to similar crises. On April 27, the Secretariat of Public Education
Secretaría de Educación Pública
The Secretaría de Educación Pública is a Mexican federal government authority with Cabinet representation and responsibility for overseeing the development and implementation of national educational policy and school standards in Mexico.Additionally, it has the following responsibilities:*Creation...
announced that all schools in Mexico will remain closed at least until May 6. On April 28, the Mexico City government closed all restaurants and cinemas. The National History and Anthroplogy Institute also closed all its archaeological sites and museums, including the most famous Mayan and Aztec ruins, until further notice.
St. Francis Preparatory School
St. Francis Preparatory School, commonly known as St. Francis Prep, is a private, independent Catholic college preparatory school in the Fresh Meadows neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens. It is the largest non-diocesan Catholic high school in the United States. St. Francis is run by...
, a private school in New York, was the center of a large cluster of cases after a Spring Break trip by several students, and perforce one of the first U.S. schools to be closed as a public health measure during the early outbreak. Most of the cases in California and Texas are not linked and may reflect localized outbreaks of this virus in those areas. The disease was not as virulent outside of Mexico as within Mexico, for reasons not fully understood. The US declared a state of Public Health Emergency
Public health emergency (United States)
In the United States, a public health emergency declaration releases resources meant to handle an actual or potential public health crisis. Recent examples include incidents of flooding, constipation, and the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak...
but this was said to be standard procedure in cases as divergent as the recent inauguration and flooding. On April 29, the US suffered its first confirmed death of swine flu, and on May 5 the first US citizen died from swine flu. As of June 6, there were 17 confirmed deaths from swine flu in the US. As of mid-May 2009 many states had abandoned testing for likely influenza cases unless serious illness and/or hospitalization were present. Because reported numbers represent only confirmed cases, they are a "very great understatement" of the total number of cases of infection, according to the CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
. The real number of swine flu cases in the United States could be 「upwards of 100,000,」 a top public health official estimated on Friday — far higher than the official count of 7,415 cases confirmed by laboratories.
As of October 20, 2009, swine flu cases have reached over 256,000, with 2,800 deaths in the United States.
Caribbean
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
were required to fill out a health questionnaire
Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case...
beginning on April 27, 2009. Hotels and resorts are required to report to authorities if any tourists are showing flu-like symptoms. The government of Aruba also ordered antiviral
Antiviral drug
Antiviral drugs are a class of medication used specifically for treating viral infections. Like antibiotics for bacteria, specific antivirals are used for specific viruses...
medication and other supplies from the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. No swine flu cases have been reported.
In Barbados, the first confirmed case of the H1N1 virus occurred on June 3, 2009. The second case was confirmed on June 6. The third case was confirmed on June 10. The fourth case was confirmed on June 17. Twenty five outstanding samples have been sent to the Caribbean Epidemiology Center, the results of which would confirm if there is in-country transmission.
Cuba suspended flights to and from Mexico for 48 hours. The first case of swine flu in Cuba was confirmed in mid-May.
The first two cases in the Dominican Republic were confirmed on May 27. On June 5, a 17-year-old pregnant girl infected with the AH1N1 virus died. 93 cases were confirmed to this date.
As of 7 July 2009, there has been 33 confirmed cases of swine flu in Jamaica. Health Minister Ruddy Spencer told Parliament that the country has been placed on high alert. There has been heightened surveillance at health care facilities and port entry's.
In Trinidad and Tobago, one female has been confirmed as having contracted the H1N1 influenza.
In the Bahamas, ten students and teachers who arrived from Mexico in the last week of April are in quarantine.
Central America
The first two cases of the 2009 flu pandemic in Costa Rica2009 flu pandemic in Costa Rica
In March and April 2009, an outbreak of a new strain of flu , popularly known as swine flu was discovered to have infected several people in Mexico and the states of California and Texas in the United States. On April 28 Costa Rica became the first Central American country to report the outbreak of...
, both of whom had traveled to Mexico, were confirmed on April 28. On July 31 local authorities announced that the country was selected among the sample countries that will be part of the test of the vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
developed by Swiss pharmaceutical Novartis
Novartis
Novartis International AG is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland, ranking number three in sales among the world-wide industry...
. The local sample will include 784 Costa Ricans ages 3 to 64. Besides Costa Rica, this vaccine prototype will be tested also in Mexico and the United States.
On August 11, it was confirmed that Costa Rica's President, Óscar Arias Sánchez, was infected with the A(H1N1) virus, becoming the first head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
sick with the A(H1N1) virus. President Arias return to his normal activities after one week of isolation at his home. As of October 15 the Costa Rican Ministry of Health had 1,530 confirmed cases, 1,242 pending cases, 7,404 already discarded, and 38 deaths.
Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
is checking all travelers arriving from Mexico for signs of flu and stopping anyone with symptoms of the virus at border crossings. On May 5, in a meeting with Health Minister and the Vicepresident, it was announced that an 11-year-old girl was infected with the AH1N1 virus. As of July 7 the Guatemala had 286 confirmed cases leading to two fatalities.
Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
reported its first confirmed case of A(H1N1) flu on 27 May 2009. By June 7 the country had reported 67 cases, most of the cases on the city of San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula is a city in Honduras. It is located in the northwest corner of the country, in the Valle de Sula , about 60 km south of Puerto Cortés on the Caribbean. With an estimated population of 638,259 people in the main municipality, and 802,598 in its metro area , it is the second...
and the Atlantic Coastline. There are few cases on other cities and areas. All airports and commercial sites as well as public events are monitored. As of July 7 there were 123 confirmed cases and one fatality.
As on June 4, 179 confirmed cases had been reported by Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
nian health authorities. Of these, 91 were male and 88 were female. Schools with positive cases are being disinfected. Thermal cameras had been deployed in Tocumen International Airport
Tocumen International Airport
Tocumen International Airport is an international airport located from Panama City, Panama. In 2006, it underwent a major expansion and renovation program in order to modernize and improve its facilities...
to identify sickness among arriving passengers.
As of July 7, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
reported 319 confirmed cases, and Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
321. Panama and Nicaragua have not reported any fatalities.
Oceania
Researchers in Australia and New Zealand have reaffirmed that infants under the age of 1 year have the highest risk of developing severe illness from swine flu. Canadian health officials have reported that swine flu is hospitalizing three to four times as many children as regular seasonal flu.The first confirmed case in Australia was reported on May 9. As of July 3, 2009, Australia has 7,290 confirmed cases. The first Australian death was on June 19 and the total death toll has risen to 20. The alert level has been lifted from "delay" to "contain", giving authorities in all states the option to close schools if students are at risk. Australia has a stockpile of 8.7 million doses of Tamiflu and Relenza. At the beginning of the outbreak airlines were required to report passengers from the Americas with influenza symptoms, and nurses were deployed at international airports.
On May 30, New Zealand had 9 laboratory confirmed cases and 10 probable cases. All patients recovered. Over the month of June cases in New Zealand rose rapidly. On June 14 the Ministry of Health announced a 65% increase in cases in just 24 hours. On July 4, the Ministry of Health announced the first New Zealand deaths. There have been three confirmed deaths of patients who had tested positive for the flu, however two of them had known underlying medical conditions. The total number of confirmed cases has now reached 945.
Islands and Antarctica
No cases have been reported in Antarctica. Two cases were confirmed in the Pacific Islands. Both cases were confirmed on June 15, one in the Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
and another in Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
. 5 cases has been confirmed in Fiji as of June 24 and 1 case in Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
.
South America
Juan Luis Manzur
Juan Luis Manzur is an Argentine surgeon and politician, currently Minister of Health and Environment to the President.-Biography:...
. As of July 14, the number of officially recognised cases skyrocketed, with 137 deaths, making the death toll in Argentina the second highest in the world, only behind the United States and surpassing that of Mexico.
As of April 2009, Brazilian airports would monitor travelers arriving from affected areas, under the direction of the National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). Air crews were trained on signs and symptoms of swine influenza so that passengers displaying symptoms would receive guidance from ANVISA upon arrival. As of June 4, there were 28 confirmed cases of swine flu in Brazil.
The first case of A(H1N1) flu in Chile was confirmed on May 17. On May 29, the Chilean Health ministry confirmed the number of cases of A-H1N1 had risen to 224., the same day two more cases were confirmed. On June 3 Chile suffered its first confirmed death of swine flu, a 37-year-old man from Puerto Montt
Puerto Montt
Puerto Montt is a port city and commune in southern Chile, located at the northern end of the Reloncaví Sound in the Llanquihue Province, Los Lagos Region. The commune spans an area of and had a population of 175,938 in 2002. It is located 1,055 km to the south of the capital, Santiago...
. To the date, and since the laboratory tests are no longer mandatory, the estimation of cases in Chile go up to 500.000 cases.
On May 3, 2009, Minister Palacio confirmed the first case of A(H1N1) in Colombia, in a 42-year-old person from Zipaquirá
Zipaquirá
Zipaquirá is a municipality and city of Colombia in the department of Cundinamarca. Its neighboring municipalities are Tausa and Cogua to the north; Nemocón, Gachancipá and Sopó to the east; Cajicá and Tabio to the south; and Subachoque and Pacho to the west. Its seat of municipal government is 49...
, who recently travelled to Mexico. According to Palacio, only one out of 18 tests sent to Atlanta was positive. The patient was isolated and put under medical treatment. On the same day, Palacio stated there were 108 suspect cases in the country. On April 27, the Government declared a "national disaster" state in order to face the emergency, which allowed health authorities to have a special budget to do so. The government purchased 400,000 oseltamivir
Oseltamivir
Oseltamivir INN , an antiviral drug, slows the spread of influenza virus between cells in the body by stopping the virus from chemically cutting ties with its host cell; median time to symptom alleviation is reduced by 0.5–1 day. The drug is sold under the trade name Tamiflu, and is taken orally...
(Tamiflu) doses, which will be distributed through the Social Protection ministry to the affected if there are confirmed cases.
Health officials are carrying out checks on people with flu symptoms entering the country from sea or air.
On April 29, Ecuador closed its borders to Mexican citizens and foreigners of other nationalities arriving from Mexico for a period of 30 days. On May 15, Health officials confirmed the first case of AH1N1 flu in Ecuador . On May 20, the Health Department confirmed 7 more new cases of AH1N1, raising the total number of infected people to 8, the number has now risen to 41.
The first case of swine flu in Peru was confirmed on n May 14. On May 17, the second case was confirmed, an American-born man residing in Arequipa
Arequipa
Arequipa is the capital city of the Arequipa Region in southern Peru. With a population of 836,859 it is the second most populous city of the country...
. He had returned from the US on May 12, not showing any symptoms until two days later. On May 18 a new case was confirmed, a scholar returning from a trip to Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, that studied in the Altair school. another case of a scholar from the same trip to Dominican Republic. Student had contact with 3rd victim and both studied in the same school. The Governor of Callao
Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
ordered that all passengers from any infected country be checked before their arrival on Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian territory. Also, the Peruvian government must be warned of any case or symptom of fever. This step is in order to prevent any infections, since the main port and airport of Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
are located in Callao
Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
. Also, the government has prepared a special area at the Hospital "Daniel Alcides Carrión" to treat cases of this disease. Efforts are being made to examine slaughterhouses and they are screening incoming passengers from problem areas. All commercial flights from Mexico to Peru were suspended on April 29.
In Venezuela, controls have been raised at airports to prevent contagion from spreading. Travellers from the United States and Mexico with flu symptoms are being isolated until they are given the all clear. Pig farms in the country are being "closely inspected" and stockpiles of medicines built up. On May 28 the Health Minister, Jesús Mantilla
Jesús Mantilla
Jesús Mantilla Oliveros was the Minister of Public Health and Social Development of Venezuela up to 2009....
, confirmed the first case of the A/H1N1 flu in a Venezuelan citizen who arrived in a flight from Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. He was isolated to the place he is receiving treatment and his condition is stable. The following day, a second case was confirmed from another person who also arrived from the same flight.
Reporting bias
Epidemiologists caution that the number of cases reported in the early days of an outbreak can be very inaccurate and deceptive. This can be due to several causes, including selection bias, media bias, and incorrect reporting by governments.One selection bias
Selection bias
Selection bias is a statistical bias in which there is an error in choosing the individuals or groups to take part in a scientific study. It is sometimes referred to as the selection effect. The term "selection bias" most often refers to the distortion of a statistical analysis, resulting from the...
in epidemiology pertains to authorities in different jurisdictions looking at different sets of patient populations. For example, in the early days of the pandemic, doctors in Mexico may have been concentrating on patients in hospitals, rather than the larger vulnerable population, which may in part explain the higher mortality recorded in the country. Conversely, it is implausible that few, if any, have died in Mexico in recent months when Brazil and the United States have accumulated hundreds of additional lab-confirmed deaths in the same period. Media bias
Media bias
Media bias refers to the bias of journalists and news producers within the mass media in the selection of events and stories that are reported and how they are covered. The term "media bias" implies a pervasive or widespread bias contravening the standards of journalism, rather than the...
in reporting swine flu cases and deaths may skew incidence maps based on these media reports. Countries with poor health care systems and poor laboratory facilities may take longer to identify suspected cases, analyse those cases, and report them. Passive data collection methodologies (waiting for the patient to arrive at a health care facility) are considered inferior to active data collection techniques (performing random stratified sampling
Stratified sampling
In statistics, stratified sampling is a method of sampling from a population.In statistical surveys, when subpopulations within an overall population vary, it is advantageous to sample each subpopulation independently. Stratification is the process of dividing members of the population into...
) due to various forms of selection bias. and because laboratory facilities to perform swift genetic tests on patient samples are not widely available. there are no properly controlled epidemiological studies for the 2009 swine flu outbreak.
External links
- Swine influenza, at the World Health OrganizationWorld Health OrganizationThe World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
- WHO's current Pandemic Influenza Phase