A woman died from complications brought on by H1N1 influenza on Friday, raising the total number of swine flu-related deaths in the Kingdom to two since the strand re-emerged earlier this month.
According to the health ministry, the deceased was a 21-year-old woman who was admitted to a hospital in Zarqa on Thursday suffering from swine flu symptoms.
“The woman was also suffering from diabetes,” Ministry of Health Spokesperson Hatem Azrui told The Jordan Times over the phone on Sunday, highlighting that the overall number of H1N1 cases registered in the Kingdom’s hospitals stood at 11 as of yesterday.
In light of the reemergence of the disease on December 11 and the recent fatalities, the ministry will issue a weekly report on new H1N1 cases, he added.
Bassam Hijjawi, director of the ministry’s disease control department, said that since the World Health Organisation announced the end of the H1N1 pandemic in August, swine flu has become an “indispensable” part of the seasonal flu.
“We call on citizens who develop severe flu symptoms, particularly high fever, to head to the hospital and undergo the H1N1 test, especially those who are more vulnerable to swine flu,” he told The Jordan Times, adding that people who suffer from chronic diseases, pregnant women, children and the elderly are at risk for the disease.
Hijjawi called on citizens to take the seasonal flu vaccine, which is designed to prevent several forms of flu, including H1N1, adding that the inoculation is available at all pharmacies.
“Citizens are still underestimating the seriousness of the disease and wait until they develop severe symptoms to go to the hospital,” he noted.
The official underlined the availability of sufficient quantities of Tamiflu, the anti-viral medicine prescribed for the treatment of H1N1.
Last, 3,049, H1N1 cases were registered in the Kingdom with 16 swine flu-related fatalities. Over 45,000 people have been inoculated against the H1N1 virus since November 2009.
To curb any potential outbreak of H1N1, the ministry has urged people to take precautionary measures such as keeping their hands clean and washing them immediately after shaking hands, in addition to covering their mouths and noses with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
Laila Azzeh
Jordan Times