Swine Flu spreading in Bangladesh

by Zahid Al Amin
September 2, 2009

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/266/swine-flu-spreading-in-bangladesh

Latest information says that more than 300 people are already detected as carrying Swine Flu in Bangladesh. Experts opine that the exact number might even be much higher than speculated.

Meanwhile, Bangladeshi government is yet to take appropriate measures at all entrance points of the country to check further spread of swine flu. A number of educational institutions have already closed fearing the epidemic spread of this deadly disease.

Bangladesh on August 27, 2009 alerted its citizens about the spread of H1N1 swine flu as authorities reported 87 cases in the country, with the situation in neighbouring India worsening rapidly, officials said.

'It is a matter of concern for us as the situation has turned worse in neighbouring India,' Health Minister Ruhal Haque told reporters after a meeting reviewing the country's latest H1N1 situation.

He asked the authorities concerned for proper screening of inbound passengers from India, especially through the land border crossings.

Bangladesh has 14 land ports in operation with India.

Earlier, the government enhanced vigilance on airports and sea ports introducing special medical desks to detect swine-flue infection. Most of the H1N1 cases were detected at Dhaka's Zia International Airport, officials at the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research said.

The government called on the people not to panic over the situation as it has taken adequate measures to deal with it.

'There is nothing to be panicked about. We consider the situation alarming as the deadly virus was spreading rapidly and widely in neighbouring India, where the death toll from the virus is on the rise,' the minister said, asking the people to take cautionary measures.

Twenty-eight people have reportedly died of the virus in India. The first case of H1N1 infection in Bangladesh was detected on June 19.

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