WHO: Seek medical treatment after three days from first sign of swine flu symptoms
Independence Day Reception could become casualty of current epidemic
Many Finns with swine flu are contemplating the question of when an otherwise healthy person should see a doctor in order to find out whether or not he or she needs antiviral drug treatment.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), infected individuals should contact their doctor or health centre if the illness does not ease off within three days from the first sign of symptoms of H1N1 influenza.
The WHO says that people with symptoms should also seek medical treatment, if they begin to have difficulty in breathing.
”If the illness is mild, there is no need to go to see a doctor”, says Markku Kuusi, the chief physician of the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
However, those belonging to any of the risk groups susceptible to infection should see a doctor immediately after experiencing the first sign of symptoms.
”In such cases antiviral drug treatment should be started as early as possible”, Kuusi notes.
The Päijät-Häme Hospital District confirmed on Wednesday that an 18-year-old woman had died as a result of a H1N1 virus infection. She had a difficult long-term illness.
She had been admitted to the Päijät Häme Central Hospital in Lahti early on Tuesday morning. The woman had exhibited swine flu symptoms for several days, and was tested positive for the H1N1 virus.
After being treated with antibiotics and antiviral medicines, the woman was transferred to a life support machine. She died at the hospital on Tuesday night.
According to the hospital district, the patient had been vaccinated last week, but it did not manage to boost her immunity against the virus immediately.
The vaccine will offer protection against the H1N1 influenza infection in two to three weeks from the vaccination.
According to THL it is not possible to contract the swine flu from the vaccine.
The current number of H1N1-related deaths in Finland is six.
However, the number of infected individuals is tens of thousands, maybe more than 100,000. Some people get only a very mild infection, occasionally even without any symptoms.
In an interview with Helsingin Sanomat President Tarja Halonen said that she has not been vaccinated yet, as she does not belong to any of the risk groups, and neither does she plan to jump the queue.
However, Speaker of Parliament Sauli Niinistö said to Helsingin Sanomat that the President and the government ministers should be allowed to jump ahead of the queue to get their H1N1 shots.
Moreover, depending on the spread rate of the epidemic, one possible development could be that the annual Independence Day Reception would be cancelled. This will happen at least if the President comes down with the infection.
The Independence Day Gala on December 6th was called off twice during Urho Kekkonen’s presidency: in 1981 when the President himself was ill, and in 1974 when his wife Sylvi Kekkonen died at the beginning of December.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), infected individuals should contact their doctor or health centre if the illness does not ease off within three days from the first sign of symptoms of H1N1 influenza.
The WHO says that people with symptoms should also seek medical treatment, if they begin to have difficulty in breathing.
”If the illness is mild, there is no need to go to see a doctor”, says Markku Kuusi, the chief physician of the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
However, those belonging to any of the risk groups susceptible to infection should see a doctor immediately after experiencing the first sign of symptoms.
”In such cases antiviral drug treatment should be started as early as possible”, Kuusi notes.
The Päijät-Häme Hospital District confirmed on Wednesday that an 18-year-old woman had died as a result of a H1N1 virus infection. She had a difficult long-term illness.
She had been admitted to the Päijät Häme Central Hospital in Lahti early on Tuesday morning. The woman had exhibited swine flu symptoms for several days, and was tested positive for the H1N1 virus.
After being treated with antibiotics and antiviral medicines, the woman was transferred to a life support machine. She died at the hospital on Tuesday night.
According to the hospital district, the patient had been vaccinated last week, but it did not manage to boost her immunity against the virus immediately.
The vaccine will offer protection against the H1N1 influenza infection in two to three weeks from the vaccination.
According to THL it is not possible to contract the swine flu from the vaccine.
The current number of H1N1-related deaths in Finland is six.
However, the number of infected individuals is tens of thousands, maybe more than 100,000. Some people get only a very mild infection, occasionally even without any symptoms.
In an interview with Helsingin Sanomat President Tarja Halonen said that she has not been vaccinated yet, as she does not belong to any of the risk groups, and neither does she plan to jump the queue.
However, Speaker of Parliament Sauli Niinistö said to Helsingin Sanomat that the President and the government ministers should be allowed to jump ahead of the queue to get their H1N1 shots.
Moreover, depending on the spread rate of the epidemic, one possible development could be that the annual Independence Day Reception would be cancelled. This will happen at least if the President comes down with the infection.
The Independence Day Gala on December 6th was called off twice during Urho Kekkonen’s presidency: in 1981 when the President himself was ill, and in 1974 when his wife Sylvi Kekkonen died at the beginning of December.
Helsingin Sanomat