Health Protection Agency (HPA) has revealed that 27 people were found positive for swine flu (H1N1) in the Maldives this year but of the people have now recovered.
Speaking at the press conference held at the health ministry on Monday, regarding the outbreak of flu, HPA Director General Moomina Aboobakuru revealed that statistics showed 16 people tested positive for swine flu among the 475 tested in 2016. However in 2017, 208 people were tested and 27 were found positive.
Dr Moosa Hussein of IGMH stated that most of the people found positive have been cured and that no serious cases of H1N1 have been registered at IGMH. However he added that a child was currently receiving treatment for H1N1 in ADK's ICU.
Dr Moosa explained that his patients had mostly recovered before receiving reports as he focused on treating their symptoms rather than the information on medical reports, adding that this was not only applicable for H1N1 patients. His fellow, Dr Niyasha Ibrahim also recommended for all doctors to use this method of treatment.
ADK's Dr Abdulla Niyaf said swine flu was categorised as a dangerous disease during it's initial outbreak because the immune system did not have the antibodies to fight the disease.
However, now the body is now able to produce such antibodies which means that H1N1 was no longer a danger to the public. He also mentioned that there was no specific treatment for H1N1 and that only patients who present serious symptoms were admitted for observational care.
"People who are currently receiving treatment show symptoms of flu and Influenza. They are being treated as they would be at home and given medication for fever and for cold if necessary. They are advised to stay indoors and drink fluids until recovery" said Niyaf.
Niyaf also stated that this was not a new type of medical condition and that even though there has been an outbreak in flu, there have been no serious cases and those with the condition are receiving necessary treatment. He added that Maldives now has the capability to treat even the most serious of cases and there was no need for panic as doctors in the atolls have also been informed of the treatments required.
