Jamaica on flu alert

The Health Ministry has put the island on influenza alert amid an increase in the number of patients with symptoms including fever and respiratory complications.

Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, says the flu is to be taken seriously as it can lead to pneumonia and blood infections, and cause diarrhoea and seizures in children.

"The flu can also worsen chronic medical conditions such as heart or lung disease,” Tufton told Parliament this afternoon.

Influenza commonly called flu is an acute viral infection that spreads easily from person to person, mainly by coughing, sneezing and through close contact.

Who is at risk?
The viruses circulate worldwide and can affect anybody in any age group with symptoms varying by age.

Persons at highest risk of dangerous complications from the flu are infants and young children, adults 60 years and older, pregnant women, and persons with chronic medical conditions or weakened immune systems.

What are the symptoms?
Fever/chills
Sore throat
Muscle aches
Fatigue
Cough
Headache
Runny or stuffy nose

How is the government responding
A total of 21,900 doses of Influenza vaccine were purchased by the Ministry of Health through the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) Revolving Fund for Vaccines and distributed to parish health departments in late October 2018.

Vaccination of target groups commenced in November 2018.

The vaccine is offered free of cost in the public health system to the following high-priority groups:

* Healthcare workers
* Children and elderly with chronic illnesses;
* Pregnant women;
* Individuals who are institutionalised or in state care; and
* Non-health frontline workers.

Private health care providers are encouraged to procure the influenza vaccine through private distributors in order to provide for the general population.

The Health Ministry will:
*Enhance its public education campaign to reinforce good hand hygiene and emphasise respiratory etiquette
*Activate enhanced infection control programme in hospitals and health facilities for preventing, controlling and investigating communicable diseases
*Increase stocks of medication in hospitals and health facilities to respond to increase in the number of persons hospitalised
*Continue and expand the extended opening hours at health centres to provide access to at-risk populations to include the elderly and children under 5 years
*Continue implementation of overcrowding management plans for major hospitals.

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