21 January 2017 12:38 am
Director of the Kandy Hospital Dr. Saman Ratnayake, speaking to the , said the patients in ward 69 were isolated as an emergency measure. “The ward was not closed, the patients were temporarily isolated until the ward was sterilised,” Dr. Ratnayake clarified, adding that the ward was reopened following its disinfection. Measures have also been implemented to halt the spread of the virus to other wards.
Questioned about the number of patients diagnosed with the deadly virus, Dr. Ratnayake said at present 4 patients were identified as having been infected with the virus. The three female and one male patients who have tested positive for the virus are being monitored closely by authorities. Dr. Ratnayake who denied the possibility of the virus developing into epidemic levels, assured that the hospital and its staff were well equipped to manage and contain the virus.
Influenza A (H1N1) virus emerged in 2009, with the World Health Organisation declaring the
and vomiting.
The also spoke to the Director General of Health Services Dr. Jayasundara Bandara, who ruled out the possibility of the spread of the H1N1 virus. “We had a three year surveillance programme to monitor the prevalence of the disease. The virus has been highlighted in the public recently, following the unfortunate deaths reported at the Kidney ward of the Kandy hospital. However we have issued a circular in this regard in 2013, detailing how the virus must be tackled at state hospitals,” Dr. Bandara said.
The Director General of Health Services added that the disease is not a new phenomenon. “We have observed the prevalence of the disease during the cold season, especially from September to February. The disease is known to have adverse effects on pregnant women, children and those who already have low immunity due to other health conditions. In such cases, the virus which is usually self- limiting and presents itself as a flu-like illness, can even develop to pneumonic stages. For a small percentage of patients, this may result in severe outcomes,” Dr. Bandara explained.
Asked of provisions employed for a possible outbreak of the virus, Dr. Bandara said hospitals had been provided with the necessary staff, knowledge and drugs, to counter such
Our attempts to contact the Infection Control Unit of the Kandy Hospital on numerous occasions failed. However, learned that the hospital staff was advised against divulging information pertaining to the disease and the deaths at ward 69 by hospital authorities.
According to Dr. Samitha Ginige of the Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health, there have been no further developments reported in relation to the deaths at the Kandy Hospital. “The condition is under control and there are no further developments. Officials have employed all necessary precautions to contain the disease,” Dr. Ginige said. Asked if there were reports of clusters of the disease from other parts of the island, Dr. Ginige said an unusual number had not been reported thus far. “Throughout the year, there are reports of a few patients having contracted the virus. This is not unusual. We cannot label such numbers as an outbreak because every year there is a slight increase of the number of patients diagnosed with the (A) H1N1 virus from the period between October to January,” Dr Ginige added.
Saying that there was no cause for alarm over an outbreak of the infectious agent, Dr. Ginige warned however that people should remain vigilant about symptoms of the virus such as continued flu symptoms and breathlessness. He added that such individuals should maintain good health and avoid crowds where they could be exposed to the risk of contracting the disease. “The Health Ministry and the Epidemiology Unit have implemented all necessary measures in hospitals islandwide to address any possible outbreak of the disease,” Dr. Ginige assured.