Fiji's first swine case

(Radio Fiji) Fiji has recorded one confirmed case of the Influenza A H1N1 virus over the weekend.
The Health Ministry confirms the case is in the Western Divison. Health Permanent Secretary- Dr Sala Saketa says the patient is currently being treated at home and is in a stable condition. Dr Saketa says the confirmed case is a 36 year old male Fiji resident, who returned to Fiji on Wednesday from Australia. He visited a GP in Nadi yesterday as he had cough and fever.
A sample was taken last night and immediately sent to the national testing laboratory at Mataika House and the result was confirmed this morning.
The results since have been relayed to the patient’s GP, his family and the Health Authorities in Nadi and Lautoka. Dr Saketa says the patient has started on treatment with Tamiflu last night and he has been vigilant in monitoring his own condition.She says the ministry is glad that through his quick response in alerting the health authorities has helped minimize the spread of infection from this case.Dr Saketa says the patient’s closer family members have been tested, specimen taken and results are negative. She also says a list of contacts of the case was obtained to be followed up by the public health team in Nadi and they may need to be tested and treated with Tamiflu should the symptoms develop.
The ministry is also advising people to seek immediate medical attention once they develop influenza-like symptoms. Meanwhile, according to the World Health Organisation statistics- the Influenza A H1N1 Virus has now infected 44,287 people from 96 countries and has caused close to 180 deaths in the last 48 hours. The WHO says that from these statistics- the Unites States has the highest number of infected with 17,855 laboratory confirmed cases and 44 deaths. In the Pacific region- Samoa, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea have reported their first cases of the H1N1 flu. New Zealand has 216 confirmed cases with no deaths and in Australia- the number of confirmed cases is 2199 with 1 reported death.