A lesson on Novel Influenza

The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry will launch a program to educate the school community in preventing the spread of AH1N1 influenza.

Although this is not a fatal disease, it is vital to be prevented because it has potential to spread very fast, a Ministry release said.

This program will be launched today jointly with the Education Ministry, MOH officers, PHIs and Regional Epidemiology Unit in the area.

Treatment of these patients is being carried out at 20 main hospitals along with the patient care service at these places.

This service was confined to fever hospital, Angoda. More base hospitals and special hospitals too will be available for this purpose from Wednesday.

This disease has become pandemic by now but there is no cause to panic, the Ministry said. However, if experiencing symptoms like fever with cough, throat infection and headache, it is advised to consult a doctor.

Specially the children, elderly, invalid persons and pregnant mothers are considered the most vulnerable groups to this disease.

These details were revealed at a press conference held yesterday at the Epidemiology Unit, Deputy Director General of Public Health Dr. Palitha Maheepala, Dr. Risintha Premaratne, Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Dr. Anura Senanayake and Dr. P. Jayasena were present.