Fiji:Flu cases on the rise
submited by kickingbird at Sep, 4, 2004 11:20 AM from Fiji Times
DOCTORS are surprised at the increase in the number of influenza cases over the past three weeks.
Tamavua Health Centre´s Doctor Kitione Rawalai said it was unusual for that many people complaining of similar symptoms.
"We have had people complaining of the usual symptoms of headaches and body pains and recommend lots of fluid and rest with Paracetamol," he said.
"But recently there have been new symptoms including vomiting, dizziness and diarrhoea."
Dr Rawalai said he normally saw 100 patients a day, of which three or four would have symptoms of viral infection. But the numbers had increased to 30 patients a day, an unusually high number.
Valelevu Health Centre doctor-in-charge Saimoni Nabati said they too had seen an increase in the number of people complaining of a viral infection.
"Not so much of diarrhoea but vomiting and dizziness, which is unusual for us," he said.
"Here for every doctor, he or she will see up to 60 patients daily, and over half of those will complain of these symptoms."
Dr Nabati said they only recommended Panadol and lots of fluid and rest but gave antibiotics if there was a need.
He said rise in viral infections could be the result of the wet, cold, windy weather the country had been experiencing.
Dr Rawalai said they had sent blood samples to the laboratory at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital to find what virus was causing the problems.
Muanawaqa villager, Lite Delana said her one-year-old son Mosemali Delana started vomiting on Thursday night.
"This was the first time I saw him get this sick and I was scared which is why I brought him to the doctor today (yesterday)," Ms Delana said.
"He had this dry cough and was really hot."
Dr Rawalai said when a person started to have chronic coughing, which was dry and started to spit out mucus it was serious.
Doctors advised people to drink lots of fluids and rest.
additional information(PPHSN):
Influenza-like illnesses in Fiji, Official posting from Ministry of Health.
Around the end of February and onto the first week of March, 2004 the Ministry of Health in Fiji received reports of an unusual increase in the number of influenzae-like illnesses in the Central Medical Division. Within the week of this initial report, similar reports were received from around the country.
A total of 14,429 Influenzae-like Illnesses (cf 41,786 for the year 2002, average of 149 cases/ month) were reported via the National Notifiable systems in the first quarter of this year with 80 % seen in the month of March alone. This outbreak tapered off in early April.
During this period there was a lot of concern in the light of the Avian Flu outbreak in the Northern hemisphere. Communication within the Fiji Avian Flu Task Force Group (Animal Health Pathologists) showed no evidence of unusual deaths or illnesses within the poultry industry and targeted poultry farms. The two major poultry industries in Fiji are part of this task force.
A team from the National Public Health Laboratory (Mataika House) were sent out (Mar 1-2 2004) to collect samples from 4 health centres within the Central Division. A case definition was used to select patient samples for testing. The 41samples were initially tested at Mataika House using Capilia (direct antigen detection assay for Influenza Type A and B) - 15/41 samples were positive for Influenza A. These samples were then forwarded to the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, 45 Poplar Road, Parkville. Victoria, Australia 3052 (Dr Ian Barr) for confirmation and typing. Unfortunately, due to the shipping processes between Fiji and Australia – the samples reached Ian Barr’s Laboratory in sub-ideal conditions resulting in unsuccessful isolation. This issue has been addressed by Dr Barr’s lab and Mataika House collectively to rectify the problems.
A second batch of 6 specimens were collected 2 weeks later and sent onto to Melbourne. The result of the 2nd batch was received on the 29th April 2004. The WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza managed to grow and isolate 1 influenza isolate from the 6. It grew very poorly on the first passage which had to be re-passaged again before getting good virus growth. Anyhow the isolate A/Fiji/185/2004 was typed by HI as an A (H3) virus of the A/Fujian/411/2002 type which is the same type of virus which has been circulating widely in Australia last winter, in the last Northern Hemisphere winter and also in the Solomon Islands recently.
I thank the excellent technical support provided by Dr Ian Barr in this regard.
Joe Koroivueta
National Center for Scientific Services for Virology and Vector Borne Diseases
Mataika House, Ministry of Health
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