No Caribbean swine flu outbreak

On the heels of a swine flu alert by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Trinidad and Tobago-based Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) yesterday assured that there was no outbreak of the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, in the Caribbean.

CAREC's adviser on disease surveillance, Dr Eldonna Boisson, told the Caribbean Media Corp-oration that sporadic outbreaks reported across the Americas have led PAHO to call on its member countries to be prepared to respond to a possible outbreak of the influenza virus.

But she explained that while swine flu has remained present since it surfaced in 2009, there is no need to be alarmed at this stage.

"What has happened is that Pan American Health Organization has put out an alert that we are still seeing H1N1 circulating in the region, which we have been seeing ever since the pandemic in 2009 and it is reminding countries to remain prepared because an outbreak can occur at any time," Boisson said.

"We don't have any indication that one is occurring at this time but H1N1 is still a relatively new virus to the world and therefore countries need to remain prepared."

Swine flu is an acute viral infection with common symptoms including fever, coughing, lack of appetite and aching joints.

- CMC