THE reported death of a 29-year-old pregnant woman from Influenza A (H1N1) in Kota Baru last Sunday should put us all on guard against this dreaded virus.Although Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has stated that the case was not an indication of a second wave of H1N1, we should all take the necessary precautions to ensure that the virus does not spread.
In the Kota Baru case, doctors managed to save the woman’s baby. The woman, who was in her 36th week of pregnancy, died two days after her 54-year-old mother died of H1N1 complications.
Liow said the woman had earlier shown signs of foetal distress syndrome. She died of ‘adult respiratory distress syndrome’.
It has been almost a year since the H1N1 influenza virus broke out and we must be wondering if it is returning because of the resurgence of confirmed cases such as the two in Kota Baru.
Indeed, I have been worried myself because of a recent bout of flu, which has put me under the weather over the past two weeks. Thankfully, the doctors have ruled out H1N1. But who is to say that I’m not vulnerable to the virus attack. Lest we forget, we are all prone to contracting the disease.
When it broke out last year, people reacted differently to the virus (then commonly called ‘swine flu’). Some demanded a police guard on the homes of people under quarantine. Others held ‘flu parties’ in a warped sense of trying to obtain immunity from the disease. And a few sent ‘hate texts’ with the message ‘You will die’ to people with the flu.
When Malaysia reported its second confirmed case of ‘swine flu’ on May 16, 2009, the government acted swiftly to contain the spread of this illness. We quarantined the airline crew and passengers who were exposed to the confirmed carrier and curtailed the movements of their family members.
Even Malaysians studying in the United States were alarmed that travel restrictions would jeopardise their plans to return home for the summer vacation. People were fearful of being treated like social pariahs. The Malaysian government also started a Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre which maintained a 24-hour hotline (05-2433962).
Today, some people blame the World Health Organisation (WHO) for losing public confidence by overstating the dangers of this flu pandemic. It is alleged that the pharmaceutical industry directly influenced public decisions with regard to the H1N1 influenza, and their statements were adopted as public health recommendations without any basis on sufficient scientific evidence.
The dramatic discrepancy between the estimate and the actual reality of deaths from the flu compelled various governments to downgrade the expected deaths. The peak was observed between October and December 2009 and the pandemic was assumed to be losing momentum. Altogether, over 209 countries and 15,174 deaths worldwide were reported. Critics were quick to note that the decline in confidence is disastrous for future pandemics because people may not give full credibility to any WHO recommendations and so will refuse to be vaccinated, thus endangering their health and lives.
Since last May, a total of 12,688 Malaysians have been infected and 77 deaths reported. However, in the past three weeks, an increase in the pandemic has been seen and people are worried and scared.
Panicking or resorting to drastic measures is pointless. The main thing is to keep calm and be informed. By taking precautions, we protect ourselves and others against flu. But we also need to be prepared and the media has already published various contacts (telephone lines and websites) and helplines.
H1N1 is a respiratory disease and being a new virus, no one will have immunity to it. Everyone is at risk with the most vulnerable being the elderly, young children and those with existing medical conditions.
Flu viruses spread through droplets from our noses and mouths, when we cough or sneeze. But when we cover our mouths and noses with a tissue, it prevents the spread of the virus, by stopping others breathing them in. Those who liberally spit in the streets, or cough or sneeze without catching the droplets in a handkerchief or tissue, should start doing the responsible thing.
When we cough or sneeze into our hands, the germs in these droplets spread from our hands to any hard surfaces that we touch, such as handphones, door handles, lift buttons. When others touch these surfaces, and then touch their faces, infections occur because the germs then enter their systems. That is how these viruses are spread.
When we practice strict hygiene, we protect ourselves and others against flu and slow the spread of the virus. We should carry tissues on us all the time, use clean tissues to cover our mouths and nose when we cough or sneeze, discard the tissues after one use, and wash our hands with soap and water, or an anti-bacterial gel often.
We should also plan ahead for a network of family of friends to help us if we fall ill with flu so that they can collect our medicines, food or other supplies for us so we need not leave our homes.
If we experience flu-like symptoms, we should contact our doctors/clinics rather than going into the clinic, or local accident and emergency department, unless advised to do so. This will halt the spread of the illness.
Finally, the symptoms that we should concentrate on are the sudden onset of fever, cough or shortness of breath. Other symptoms include headache, sore throat, tiredness, aching muscles, chills, sneezing, runny nose or loss of appetite.
We should avoid crowds, or stay at least one metre away from people with flu-like symptoms and to open windows for improved air-flow.
Let’s stop being feverish about this flu pandemic, but instead remain cool but strict about personal hygiene.
Seriously, for the sake of our communities and those around us, and also for our own sake, we must exercise strict discipline and care against this pandemic. Let us continuously stay vigilant to keep the second wave (it will surely come about one day) at bay. Let it not reach our shores.
(Comments can reach the writer at [email protected])