Four cases of H1N1, commonly known as “swine flu” have been confirmed in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, for the month of April.
According to iWitness News, Communications Officer for the Ministry of Health, Neeka Aderson-Isaacs, revealed that all four persons have fully recovered, and are being monitored.
Isaacs reminded the public that the spread of the virus can be curbed through the simple practice of hand washing.
“The Ministry of Health, Wellness, and the Environment, therefore, urges the entire population to recognize the importance of hand washing as critical to their health and wellness,” she said. “Hand washing is a relatively cheap and very effective way of reducing the spread of infectious diseases which are caused by organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites such as H1N1.”
She described the virus as endemic to the island.
Swine flu, a respiratory disease, caused by influenza viruses which infected the respiratory tract of pigs, was first detected in 2009. The virus quickly developed into a pandemic.
H1N1 is characterized by symptoms similar to most influenza infections, such as: fever, couch, headaches, and body aches.
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