Public appeal to combat (A)H1N1

Nadira Gunatilleke

The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry appealed to the public to assist health authorities to control the spread of Novel Influenza (A)H1N1 in the country.

Public cooperation is not adequate at all at the moment to control the spread of the disease even after wide media publicity given on the precautionary measures and disease management, a spokesman for the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry said.

According to the spokesman, certain political parties spread rumours about (A)H1N1 and stated that all universities have been affected by the disease.

But the truth is no (A)H1N1 case have been reported from any university in Sri Lanka.

Confirmation of (A)H1N1 can only be done by a qualified medical doctor or the Medical Research Institute (MRI).

The last update on the disease in Sri Lanka records clinically confirmed 23 deaths and 421 cases. The most affected areas are Kandy, Matara and Kurunegala.