NewsWhore
06-02-2009, 03:00 PM
All the media exposure the AH1N1 virus has generated has Dominicans flocking to doctors and hospitals for any kind of cold symptoms. Hoy reports that an unusual number of patients are consulting with physicians concerned over being affected by the new virus. Pediatricians and neumologists told Hoy that all the media exposure has lead to a sort of collective hysteria regarding AH1N1. In the DR, cases of the new virus have been mild.
There have been 12 cases detected in the DR, including six related to one private school.
Pediatrician Salvador Martinez Selmo told Hoy: "Yes, there has been a surprising increase in patient visits, all related to the flu, the change in the weather [with the arrival of summer] and the seasonal colds and a generalized concern over the new virus."
Physicians say the AH1N1 flu has been taken out of proportion. All the media exposure on the new virus, neglects reporting that seasonal flu is the 8th cause of death in the US, with 36,000 deaths reported last year alone. The AH1N1 virus has so far been held responsible for slightly over 115 deaths.
The majority of the persons affected with the virus of the AH1N1 influenza in the DR are students under 15 years old, according to an official report from the Ministry of Public Health.
The Ministry says that up until now all of the confirmed cases with the new virus are somehow tied to an outbreak that affected students of Carol Morgan School, two persons that traveled outside the country, one that was in a hotel in the East of the country and in the other cases the exposure was not identified.
On the world level, the numbers from the World Health Organization (WHO) are saying that they have been notified of 17,410 cases of infection in 62 countries, with 115 deaths. Of these, Mexico has 5,029 confirmed cases and 97 deaths.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)
There have been 12 cases detected in the DR, including six related to one private school.
Pediatrician Salvador Martinez Selmo told Hoy: "Yes, there has been a surprising increase in patient visits, all related to the flu, the change in the weather [with the arrival of summer] and the seasonal colds and a generalized concern over the new virus."
Physicians say the AH1N1 flu has been taken out of proportion. All the media exposure on the new virus, neglects reporting that seasonal flu is the 8th cause of death in the US, with 36,000 deaths reported last year alone. The AH1N1 virus has so far been held responsible for slightly over 115 deaths.
The majority of the persons affected with the virus of the AH1N1 influenza in the DR are students under 15 years old, according to an official report from the Ministry of Public Health.
The Ministry says that up until now all of the confirmed cases with the new virus are somehow tied to an outbreak that affected students of Carol Morgan School, two persons that traveled outside the country, one that was in a hotel in the East of the country and in the other cases the exposure was not identified.
On the world level, the numbers from the World Health Organization (WHO) are saying that they have been notified of 17,410 cases of infection in 62 countries, with 115 deaths. Of these, Mexico has 5,029 confirmed cases and 97 deaths.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)