Increasing support in monitoring, preventing and responding to seasonal influenza

THE Ministry of Health and Sports maintains close cooperation with World Health Organization and regional and partner organizations, in accordance with International Health Regulations 2005, to continuously monitor, prevent and effectively respond to communicable diseases and those with fast spread rates while also conducting communicable disease surveillance.

The seasonal influenza occurs in Myanmar, its neighbors and around the world with Seasonal Influenza A(H1N1) pdm09 virus strain spreading across Myanmar this year. The virus does not exhibit signs for potential of an epidemic nor is it a new strain. It has already been analyzed by the WHO laboratory in Japan.

The below graph shows that 698 people were diagnosed with seasonal influenza and 110 died from the disease.

(B-2) Reviewing the deaths related to seasonal influenza

People who contracted the seasonal influenza had chronic illnesses or are either too old or too young to resist the virus, resulting in high death rates. Upon close inspection of the 110 people who died from seasonal influenza between 1-1-2019 to 9-9-2019, the majority of deaths occurred within the 15-65 age group and comprised 44% of casualties. Meanwhile, 88 patients had some sort of chronic illnesses (diabetes, heart diseases, respiratory diseases, nerve system disorders, hereditary diseases, cancer and other diseases that lowered the immune system) comprising 80% of deaths. People with symptoms who could not reach hospitals in time had high death rates.

Upon reviewing the seasonal influenza this year, the highest cases occurred in the first and second weeks of July and decreased starting from the third week. While the rate has decreased, the risk factors for those in the senior citizens and young children are still vulnerable and so are those with chronic illnesses can develop severe symptoms. People in these groups need to seek immediate medical attention if symptoms reveal themselves.

The rate of the influenza has dropped and has returned to normal but the Ministry of Health and Sports has issued directives for the States and Regions concerning the seasonal virus. The directives call for continued surveillance, preventive measures, effective response, stocking up on necessary medicine in the central and state/regional hospitals, delivering effective treatment, and monitoring.

The Ministry of Health and Sports regularly updates information on the seasonal influenza and deaths at its website at www.mohs.gov.mm and Facebook pages at https://www.facebook.com/MinistryOfHealthAndSports Myanmar and https://www. facebook.com/MyanmarCDC.

While the rate of the seasonal virus spreading has decreased, the public is advised to continue adhering to the preventive measures issued by the Ministry of Health and Sports.

Ministry of Health and Sports

(Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar