2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) updated their homepage with information about the swine flu outbreak in Norway every day at 10:00 (UTC). FHI believed that the northern hemisphere would not be greatly affected by the virus, with the exception of a few outbreaks in enclosed places (schools and other institutions, cruise ships), followed by a bigger epidemic in the fall or winter.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On May 9, two Norwegian students from Oslo and Telemark, were confirmed to be infected with swine flu after they came home from studying in Mexico. Neither of them became seriously ill and they recovered quickly. These were the first two cases of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On May 19, a Norwegian woman from Oslo was confirmed to be infected with swine flu after coming home from the United States. This was the third confirmed case of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On May 20, a Norwegian man from Vest-Agder was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza after returning from a trip to the United States. This was the fourth confirmed case of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On May 27, a Norwegian man was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza in Düsseldorf, Germany. The man was put in isolation where he stayed for 10 days. He showed obvious symptoms of influenza on the flight from the United States to Germany, and when he exited the plane, he was met by four doctors. His trip home to Norway was delayed. This case, however, is not reported as a Norwegian case of swine influenza, but a German one.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On May 29, a Norwegian woman from Oslo was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza after returning from a trip to the United States. She was the fifth confirmed case in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On May 30, two Norwegians were confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. One of them was a woman from Rogaland returning from Mexico; the other one was a woman from Oslo returning from the United States. These were the sixth and seventh confirmed swine influenza cases in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 3, a Norwegian woman coming home from the United States was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. This is the eighth confirmed case of swine influenza.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 4, a Norwegian woman from Vest-Agder who recently had been to the United States was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. This was the ninth confirmed case of swine influenza.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 9, two Norwegian men from Vest-Agder and Oslo who recently had been to the United States were confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. These were the 10th and 11th cases of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 10, a Norwegian man from Vest-Agder was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. Although he had not been infected abroad, he had been living with a person who had been infected abroad. This was the first domestic infection and was the 12th case of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 11, a Norwegian man from Oslo was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. He had not recently been traveling abroad. This was the second domestic infection and the 13th case of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 12, a Norwegian man from Buskerud was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. He had not been traveling abroad but was working with an infected person. This was the third domestic infection and 14th case of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 13, a Norwegian woman from Rogaland was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. She had recently been to the United States and was infected there. This was the 15th case of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 15, a Norwegian man from Sør-Trøndelag was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. He had recently been on a trip to the United States. This was the 16th case of swine influenza in Norway and first case of swine influenza in Sør-Trøndelag.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 17, a Norwegian man from Akershus was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. He had recently been to the United States. This was the 17th case of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 18, a Norwegian man from Rogaland and two women from Akershus were confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. They had all recently been in the United States and were the 18th, 19th, and 20th cases of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 23, a Norwegian woman from Oslo and a Norwegian woman from Østfold were confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. They had recently been in the United States and were the 21st and 22nd cases of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 24, a Norwegian woman from Oslo was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. She had recently been in England and was the 23rd case of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 25, a Norwegian man from Oslo was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. He had recently been in Argentina and was the 24th case of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 26, a Norwegian woman from Sogn og Fjordane was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. She had recently been in Greece and was the 25th case of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 29, a Norwegian woman from Hordaland was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. She had recently been in the United States and was the 26th case of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On June 30, four Norwegian women (one from Oslo, one from Østfold and two from Sør-Trøndelag), two Norwegian men (one from Oslo and one from Sør-Trøndelag), and a Norwegian boy from Østfold were confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. They had all been traveling abroad; five of them had recently been in the United States, and the other two had recently been in Argentina. These were the 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd and 33rd cases of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On July 1, seven Norwegians were confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. They were passengers on a cruise ship that had docked in Oslo. The sick passengers had not gone ashore and did not infect any persons on land. These cases were not counted as Norwegian cases and were therefore not included in the Norwegian total.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On July 2, a Norwegian woman from Bergen was confirmed to be infected with swine influenza. She had recently been in the United States. This was the 34th case of swine influenza in Norway.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On September 3, the first confirmed death caused by swine flu in Norway was reported.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On October 19, the seventh death was confirmed in Bergen in a previously healthy male who was in his 50s.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On October 20, an alarming increase in absences caused by flu was reported at primary schools in Oslo and Bergen. In one school, over half of the elementary school students were absent because of the flu.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On October 20, the eighth death from the flu was confirmed as a woman in her twenties in Akershus county.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On October 22, the city of Bergen started widespread vaccination and a long queue of persons was reported.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On October 22, the ninth death from the flu was confirmed as a woman in her fifties in Akershus county.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On October 23, the 10th death from the flu was confirmed as a two-year-old child in Vest-Agder county.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On October 26, the 11th death from the flu was confirmed as a nine-year-old child in Oslo.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On October 28, the 12th and 13 deaths from the flu were reported.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On October 30, the 14th death from flu was confirmed. A woman in her forties from Ringsaker died at the hospital in Hamar.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Norway, Outbreak
On November 2, the 15th death from flu was announced. A  woman less than 20 years of age from Hedmark county died November 1 at Rikshospitalet.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania
The 2009 flu pandemic in Oceania, part of an epidemic in 2009 of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 causing what has been commonly called swine flu, has (as of 27 June 2009) afflicted at over 22,000 people in Oceania, with 56 confirmed deaths. Almost all of the cases in Oceania have been in Australia, where the majority of cases have resulted from internal community spread of the virus. In addition, the government of New Zealand, where most of the remainder of cases in Oceania have occurred, is on high alert for any people travelling into the country with flu-like symptoms.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Australia
As of July 9, 7,290 cases confirmed in Australia with 20 confirmed deaths. The alert level has been lifted from "delay" to "contain", giving authorities in all states the option to close schools if students are at risk.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Australia
Australia has a stockpile of 8.7 million doses of Tamiflu and Relenza. Airlines have been required to report passengers from the Americas with influenza symptoms, and nurses have been deployed at international airports.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Australia
On May 9, the first confirmed case in Australia was reported.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Australia
On May 20, four additional cases were reported, one in New South Wales and three in Victoria.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Australia
On May 21, an additional case was reported in Victoria. Victorian health authorities close Clifton Hill Primary School for two days (initially) after three brothers return to the school from a trip to Disneyland and are confirmed to have H1N1.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Australia
On May 22, cases were reported in South Australia and Victoria, including the first reported cases where the virus was contracted in Australia.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Australia
On May 25, the first confirmed case in Western Australia was reported.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Australia
On May 26, 3 additional cases were reported in Sydney. The newly confirmed cases involved two children who arrived in Sydney on the cruise ship named Pacific Dawn and another child who had recently returned from a trip to the United States. NSW Health issued a directive to the 2000 passengers who arrived in Sydney on the Pacific Dawn requiring that they stay at home for 7 days.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Australia
On 19 June the first confirmed death from swine flu in Australia was a 26-year-old Aboriginal man from Kiwirrkurra Community in the Western Desert of Western Australia who died in Royal Adelaide Hospital.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Fiji
Fiji on Wednesday moved to high alert against the swine flu virus, with the authorities admitting the Pacific island nation was not immune to the rapidly spreading global threat.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Fiji
On Thursday April 30, 2009, a traveller suspected of being infected by the swine flu virus is under close surveillance at Lautoka Hospital, said the Health Ministry. Hours later, the Health Ministry said there were two suspected cases. 2 cases of H1N1 confirmed in Fiji.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Fiji
As of June 30, 2009 there are 10 confirmed cases of swine Flu in Fiji.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Fiji
On 10 July 2009, a total of 52 cases of swine flu were confirmed in the nation.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, French Polynesia
French Polynesia has reported no cases of swine flu so far. Officials installed a thermal imaging camera on April 27, 2009, at Faa'a International Airport in Tahiti to screen all arriving international passengers. French Polynesia has 48,000 Tamiflu anti-viral treatments available in case of an outbreak, and more can be flown into Tahiti within twenty-four hours. On June 10, 2009, French Polynesia reported its first confirmed case in the islands.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Marshall Islands
As of July 20, there were 4 confirmed cases in the Marshall Islands.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, New Caledonia
On June 2, 2009 the authorities in New Caledonia refused to allow the cruise-ship from Australia, the Dawn Princess to dock because five patients on board had flu-like symptoms.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, New Zealand
The impact in New Zealand has been unprecedented, with school closures across the country. There have been only isolated instances of community transmission.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, New Zealand
On Saturday 25 April 2009 ten students from Rangitoto College, a secondary school in North Shore City, Auckland, exhibited influenza symptoms on returning from a three-week language trip to Mexico. All 22 students and three accompanying teachers from the trip and those in close contact with them were placed in voluntary home isolation and treated with oseltamivir. The ten students tested positive for an influenza A virus, with three of them later testing positive for swine flu. The symptoms were reportedly mild and all affected individuals have since recovered.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, New Zealand
New Zealand has had a well-developed Influenza Pandemic action plan since 2006. Following this plan New Zealand immediately upgraded its influenza pandemic alert status to code yellow. The national stockpile of 1.4 million doses of oseltamivir was released to regional health authorities. The initial response as specified in the Pandemic Action Plan is a policy of border control and cluster control via voluntary quarantine and treatment of contacts with oseltamivir. As of May 24, this policy appears to have been successful in preventing the Mexican Flu from spreading within New Zealand.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, New Zealand
New Zealand had about 48,000 influenza cases in the 2008 flu season – 42% of which were type A – and approximately 100 deaths a year directly attributed to influenza viruses.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, New Zealand
As of July 21, there were 2,255 confirmed cases and 10 deaths. The Ministry Of Health changed plan from 'Containment' to 'Care in the Community'.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Palau
Health Minister Dr. Stevenson Kuartei told reporters that although there is no reported case in Palau, a Task Force has been convened to increase screening of passengers entering the country.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Papua New Guinea
On June 15, a young Port Moresby adult has contracted the disease.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Papua New Guinea
Dr Mathias Sapuri said they are doing all they can to try to limit the spread of the virus.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Papua New Guinea
The process of the step up of clinical surveillance in the country has been picked up by most health facilities throughout the country now. We are taking swab tests and are making clinical judgments on swine flu, to get on to the Tamiflu treatment.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Papua New Guinea
Mathias Sapuri said health staff are also visiting the provinces to bring medication and test kits to them, and to help with their preparedness.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Papua New Guinea
As of July 2, 2009, only one case is confirmed in the country.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Samoa
On June 15, Health Authorities confirmed the first case of flu. An Australian young student tested positive.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Solomon Islands
A multi-sectoral task force has been activated by the Solomon Islands Ministry of Health to deal with the swine influenza virus.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Solomon Islands
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Medical Service Lester Ross said a task force is managing the Solomon Island Ministry of health's response to recent threat of swine flu epidemic.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Solomon Islands
On June 15, Health Authorities confirmed the first case of flu.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Tokelau
Most supplies and food shipments to Tokelau are sent by ferry from the neighboring country of Samoa. The Samoa Health Ministry had cancelled all travel to Tokelau until further notice as a precaution against the introduction of swine flu to the Tokelauan population. The Operations Manager for the Tokelau Office in Apia, Samoa,  Makalio Ioane, confirmed that some ferry travel would still be allowed to Tokelau, but the ship's crew would not be allowed to leave the boat or dock in Tokelau. The boat will be off loaded without any physical contact with the Tokelauan population. No cases of swine flu have been reported on either Tokelau or Samoa, so the cessation of travel to Tokelau is considered a precaution.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Tonga
Tonga has set up an Emergency Taskforce and is performing screen checks at its International Airport for passengers experiencing influenza symptoms, most importantly from flights originating from Los Angeles. In early July Tonga confirmed its first case of Swine flu and on July 21 its first death.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Nauru
One suspected case of swine flu has been identified in Nauru. Travelers entering Nauru are now screened for influenza symptoms, most importantly from flights originating from North America.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Oceania, Vanuatu
Travelers entering the country via Santo-Pekoa International Airport and Bauerfield International Airport are now being screened using body heat detection before being allowed to exit the airport's gates. 1st case confirm in Vanuatu.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Portugal
The 2009 flu pandemic, an influenza outbreak commonly known as "swine flu", affected Portugal from May 2009 to early 2010. The outbreak caused 122 deaths in the country.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Portugal, Course of the outbreak
On 4 May, there was one confirmed case in Lisbon, Portugal, but it did not represent any concern, because the risk of transmission was no longer present at that time.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Portugal, Course of the outbreak
On 1 June, Ana Jorge, the Portuguese Health Minister, confirmed the second case in Portugal, a 33-year-old man who travelled from the United States, first landing in Frankfurt, Germany. The case was reported at São João Hospital, Oporto. On 30 June, five new cases were announced in Portugal elevating the total number of cases to 18.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Portugal, Course of the outbreak
The first known cases resulting from human-to-human transmission were reported on 4 July (one in Azores, and the other one in Lisbon). On 7 July, the first school was closed down for prevention, in Lisbon, as well as a kindergarten in Azores. The next day the first case was confirmed in the Braga district, making the total cases 61. As of 14 July, there were a total of 96 confirmed cases in Portugal. On this day, it was also announced that Faro's Hospital would join, on 15 July, the set of hospitals in the country capable of receiving patients infected with the A/H1N1 flu virus. Total cases rose to 154 on 20 July.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Portugal, Course of the outbreak
Government officials stated that the worst-case scenario in Portugal would be 25% infection with a mortality of 0.1%, i.e. 8700 deaths.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Portugal, Course of the outbreak
The outbreak started to spread more rapidly in September; on the 13th, Portugal had 9618 cases officially confirmed. The first death was reported on 23 September. By 28 October, there had been four deaths - two men, one woman and one child - and there were more than 25,000 cases confirmed. As of 4 December, there were 121,677 cases confirmed and 24 deaths. The final death toll, reported in May 2010, was 122.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America
The 2009 flu pandemic in South America was part of a global epidemic in 2009 of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1, causing what has been commonly called swine flu. As of 9 June 2009, the virus had afflicted at least 2,000 people in South America, with at least 4 confirmed deaths. On 3 May 2009, the first case of the flu in South America was confirmed in a Colombian man who recently travelled from Mexico – since then, it has spread throughout the continent. By far, the most affected country has been Chile, with more than 12,000 confirmed cases, 104 deaths, and the highest per capita incidence in the world.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America
The World Health Organization warned about the arrival of the winter in the southern hemisphere, where there are seasonal peaks of flu, that could increase the number of infections.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Argentina
According to an Epidemic Alert order issued by the Ministry of Health, Airlines have been required to report passengers with influenza symptoms arriving from Mexico and United States. Passengers from these countries must fill out a form to be located should they experience any symptoms. In addition, the government has also stepped up safety checks, and thermal scanners are being used on airports to detect passengers with fever and other influenza symptoms. As of 28 April, the Government has suspended all flights originated from Mexico until 15 May as a precautionary measure.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Argentina
On 7 May, Health Authorities confirmed the first case, a tourist that had recently returned from Mexico. 55 other suspected cases continue to be studied under isolation.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Argentina
On 15 June, there were 89 new confirmed cases, increasing the number of cases to 733. First confirmed death.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Argentina
A case of human-to-swine transmission was discovered in Buenos Aires province, on 25 June. The hog farm where it occurred has been interdicted.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Argentina
On 2 July, the newly appointed Minister of Health Juan Luis Manzur estimated the number of affected people to be as many as 100,000, as well as 52 confirmed deaths.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Argentina
As of 14 July, the number of officially recognised cases has skyrocketed, with 137 deaths.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Bolivia
As of 15 September, according to Agencia Boliviana de Información the number of cases is over 1,600. The department with most cases is Santa Cruz with more than 900 cases. Owing to the increasing number of cases Bolivian authorities have given students two additional weeks of vacations, and are canceling concerts and other big events. Viru Viru International Airport (Santa Cruz) authorities are checking every international and national passenger arriving. The Daddy Yankee concert is already suspended and now expected for August. The only department with no cases is Pando, and it is the least populated department.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Bolivia
Two deaths were confirmed on 10 July, One of a six-year-old girl and one of a 50-year-old man, both from Santa Cruz. Most museums, cinemas and theaters are closed in Santa Cruz. Most restaurants are open and the biggest cinema in Bolivia, Cine Center, is open. The third death has been confirmed on 16 July. It was the first confirmed death in the department of La Paz. Pando, the only department in Bolivia, previously without the flu, has now some suspected cases. As at 21 July Bolivia has five confirmed deaths.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Bolivia
The number of cases and deaths are increasing every day. Recently deaths have been confirmed in Tarija and Potosi making the numbers of deaths rise to nine. Confirmed deaths in El Alto and Cochabamba raised the numbers of deaths to 13. Some private and public schools have closed in Santa Cruz after finding students infected with the flu. The actual number of deaths is now 35.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Brazil
Two people who had arrived in Brazil from Mexico with symptoms of an undefined illness were hospitalized in São Paulo on 25 April. It was initially suspected that they were suffering from the swine flu virus. The Brazilian Ministry of Health later issued a press release stating that while the exact cause of the two patients illnesses remained unknown, they "did not meet the definition of suspected cases of swine influenza because they did not have signs and symptoms consistent with the disease: fever over 39 °C, accompanied by coughing and/or a headache, muscle and joint pain."


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Brazil
The press release also stated that airports would monitor travelers arriving from affected areas, under the direction of the National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). Air crews were trained on signs and symptoms of swine influenza so that passengers displaying symptoms would receive guidance from ANVISA upon arrival.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Brazil
On 30 May, the Minister said that the country has 20 confirmed cases, 8 in São Paulo, 5 in Rio de Janeiro, 4 in Santa Catarina, 1 in Minas Gerais, 1 in Rio Grande do Sul and 1 in Tocantins. Three of the 5 cases in Rio are of transmission inside the country and two of the four in Santa Catarina are two.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Brazil
On 2, 3 June more cases were confirmed, one in São Paulo and two in Rio de Janeiro, increasing the number of cases to 23.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Brazil
On 4 June, the number of confirmed cases increase to 28 with another 3 in São Paulo and 2 in Mato Grosso do Sul.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Brazil
On 19 June, the total number of confirmed cases was 131, being 55 in São Paulo, 26 in Santa Catarina, 19 in Minas Gerais, 15 in Rio de Janeiro, 4 in Tocantins, 3 in Distrito Federal, 2 in Espírito Santo, 2 in Goiás, 2 in Mato Grosso, 1 in Bahia, 1 in Rio Grande do Norte and 1 in Rio Grande do Sul.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Brazil
On 6 August, the total number of confirmed cases was 10,894, the suspect cases was 200,000 and the deaths was 140.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Brazil
On 26 August, Brazil is the country with the bigger number of deaths, surpassing even USA and Mexico, with 557 deaths.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Chile
On 27 April, the Assistant Secretary of Health Jeanette Vega, confirmed that there are eight suspected cases of swine influenza in the country, which are being examined at the Hospital del Tórax in Santiago. Five other cases have been dismissed by the authorities.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Chile
On 28 April the Health Ministry announced 26 cases under investigation: 16 in Santiago; 2 in Atacama; 2 in Valparaíso; 4 in O´Higgins Region; 1 in Biobío and 1 in Araucanía. 16 other cases have been dismissed.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Chile
On 1 May, the Health Ministry announced that it continued to investigate 4 suspected cases: 2 in Santiago, 1 in Valparaíso and 1 in Araucanía. To date, 80 suspected cases have been examined by the Health Ministry; 76 of those have been dismissed. Another suspected case was identified on 2 May, bringing the number of cases under investigation to 5.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Chile
On 10 May, the Health Ministry announced that 116 cases have been dismissed, and there are no cases pending test results.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Chile
On 17 May, the Chilean Health Minister confirmed, the first case of A(H1N1) flu in Chile, the same day two more cases were confirmed.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Chile
On 29 May, the Chilean Health ministry confirmed the number of cases of A-H1N1 had risen to 224, the same day two more cases were confirmed.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Chile
On 3 June Chile suffered its first confirmed death of swine flu. A 37-year-old man from Puerto Montt.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Chile
On 9 June, the Ministry confirmed the number of cases had risen to 1694 and the number of deaths to 2. In this report, the minister stated that 1.7% of the cases have required hospitalization, 0.12% have resulted in death, 35.3% are being isolated in their residences while the remaining 63% are said to be in full recovery.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Chile
On 12 June, the Ministry confirmed the number of cases had risen to 2335. In the report, the minister stated that 2.4% of the cases have required hospitalization, 0.08% (2 cases) have resulted in death, 53% of the cases are men and 66% is from 5 to 19 years old.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Colombia
The Minister of Social Protection, Diego Palacio Betancourt, announced on 26 April 2009, that 12 suspect cases had been detected, 9 in Bogotá and 3 on the Caribbean coast. Samples of the virus have been sent to the US for comparisons and analysis. Results of the testing were expected within few days. On 27 April, the Government declared a "national disaster" state in order to face the emergency, which allowed health authorities to have a special budget to do so.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Colombia
As of 28 April, most of the suspect cases were excluded, with only four remaining: three Mexican teachers in Bogotá, and one person in Cartagena. Another 38 suspect cases were under observation. On 29 April, the suspect cases raised to 49, with 10 of them "highly" suspect. The government purchased 400,000 oseltamivir(Tamiflu) doses, which will be distributed through the Social Protection ministry to the affected if there are confirmed cases.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Colombia
On 3 May 2009, Minister Palacio confirmed the first case of A(H1N1) in Colombia, in a 42-year-old person from Zipaquirá, who recently travelled to Mexico. According to Palacio, only one out of 18 tests sent to Atlanta was positive. The patient was isolated and put under medical treatment. On the same day, Palacio stated there were 108 suspect cases in the country. On 9 June, first death of H1N1 was confirmed. Ten days later, a local newspaper El Tiempo announced a new death on Bogota, reported at 21 June. On 17 July, El Tiempo reported the first death of swine flu outside of Cundinamarca, which is also the seventh in all of Colombia.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Colombia
On 30 August 2009, El Tiempo reported that president Álvaro Uribe had contracted the AH1N1 flu virus, becoming the second head of state to do so (the first being Óscar Arias).


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Ecuador
Health officials are carrying out checks on people with flu symptoms entering the country from sea or air. On 29 April, Ecuador closed its borders to Mexican citizens and foreigners of other nationalities arriving from Mexico for a period of 30 days. On 15 May, Health officials confirmed the first case of AH1N1 flu in Ecuador. On 20 May, the Health Department confirmed 7 more new cases of AH1N1, raising the total number of infected people to 8, the number has now risen to 41.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Paraguay
On 1 June, the Minister of Health confirmed the first 5 cases in the country but stated that the situation was under control.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Paraguay
On 8 June, twenty more cases were confirmed by the Ministry of Health raising the total number to 25.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Paraguay
On 21 July 195 cases were confirmed by the Ministry of Health and 13 deaths.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Paraguay
On 8 August, the total number of confirmed cases was 244, the estimated cases was 3.629 and 27 deaths.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Peru
The Governor of Callao, Alex Kouri, ordered that all passengers from any infected country, mainly Mexico, Canada and US, must be checked before their arrival on Peruvian territory. Also, the Peruvian government must be warned of any case or symptom of fever. This step is in order to prevent any infections, since the main port and airport of Peru are located in Callao. Also, the government has prepared a special area at the Hospital "Daniel Alcides Carrión" to treat cases of this disease.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Peru
The first suspicious case has been detected in the morning of 27 April 2009. It was a Peruvian woman who returned from Mexico.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Peru
In Peru 5 people were considered suspects with the virus, but as of 28 April have been confirmed to be healthy and not carrying the H1N1 virus. The government has stated that the country is clean, but efforts are being made to examine slaughterhouses and they are screening incoming passengers from problem areas.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Peru
On 29 April, Peru's Health Minister Oscar Ugarte confirmed one case of swine flu. On 30 April, he said the case is not entirely confirmed. Having recently visited Mexico, the patient was flying in a Copa Airlines airplane from Panama to Buenos Aires on 28 April, but the flight was diverted to Lima due to her illness. The crew only notified of the suspicion of swine flu only after the passenger had checked in the airport. Three more suspected cases were being investigated. Ugarte also announced the suspension of all commercial flights from Mexico to Peru.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Peru
On 14 May, Ugarte totally confirmed a case of swine flu from a Peruvian woman who returned from New York, plus another suspected case in Trujillo from another woman in the same flight. On 17 May, the second case was confirmed, an American born man residing in Arequipa. He had returned from the US on 12 May, not showing any symptoms until two days later.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Peru
On 18 May a new case was confirmed, a scholar returning from a trip to Dominican Republic, that studied in the Altair school. Classes for her class in that school had been suspended until 25 May. 19 May, another case of a scholar from the same trip to Dominican Republic. Student had contact with 3rd victim and both studied in the same school.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Suriname
On 15 June, the first case of flu was confirmed in Suriname. On 25, 13 June more cases were confirmed. As of 12, 18 August cases are confirmed in Suriname.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Uruguay
Uruguay confirmed its first two cases on 27 May in a 27-year-old man and a 15-year woman who recently arrived from Argentina.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Uruguay
On 8 June, two private schools in Montevideo were closed in order to prevent an increase in the number of infected people.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Uruguay
On 11 June, the number of cases on Uruguay increased to 36.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Uruguay
As of 12 June, the Ministry of Health won't give anymore information about new cases, since the flu has entered into a pandemic phase, arguing that it's no longer needed. However, they will start studying possible outbreaks inside the country. To date, there are 1500 suspected cases.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Uruguay
As of 22 June, the Ministry of Health confirmed 195 cases present in the country.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Uruguay
On 29 June, the first death due to A H1N1 Influenza happens.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Uruguay
As of 3 July, four persons died because of this flu.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Uruguay
On 14 July the Ministry of Health confirmed 15 deaths as caused by this flu.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Venezuela
Controls have been raised at airports to prevent contagion from spreading. Travellers from the United States and Mexico with flu symptoms are being isolated until they are given the all clear. Pig farms in the country are being "closely inspected" and stockpiles of medicines built up.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Venezuela
On 28 May the Health Minister, Jesús Mantilla, confirmed the first case of the A/H1N1 flu in a Venezuelan citizen who arrived in a flight from Panama four days ago. He was isolated to the place he is receiving treatment and his condition is stable. The following day, a second case was confirmed from another person who also arrived from the same flight.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Venezuela
On 1 June another case was tested positive and was also linked to the previous two cases.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Venezuela
On 3 June a fourth case was confirmed from a male citizen who arrived from Brazil. The Minister of Health confirmed that all the patients are stable and there is no need to alarm the population.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Venezuela
On 8 June, the number of confirmed cases increased to 12 also from citizens who arrived from Panama, France and the U.S.A. Later that day a 13th case was confirmed, this time a 9-year-old boy who recently came from Colombia.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Venezuela
On 9 June, one more case was confirmed again in the Andean region.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Venezuela
On 14 June, The number of Venezuelans infected with the virus AH1N1 rose to 44 this day, reported in statements to the Bolivarian News Agency (ABN) the Deputy Minister of Health Networks of the Ministry of People's Power for Health Nancy Perez. In this way, 44 cases of the virus AH1N1 in the country are divided into the following Federal Entities: 17 Miranda, Anzoategui 10; Táchira 4 Aragua 4; Mérida 2; Vargas 2; Bolivar 2; Zulia 1; Carabobo 1 and Nueva Esparta 1.


2009 swine flu pandemic in South America, Affected countries, Venezuela
On 18 July, the first death by the virus was confirmed.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain
In March and April 2009, an outbreak of a new strain of influenza commonly referred to as swine flu infected many people in Mexico and parts of the United States causing severe illness in the former. The new strain was identified as a combination of several different strains of Influenzavirus A, subtype H1N1, including separate strains of this subtype circulating in humans (see Human influenza) and in pigs (see Swine influenza). Spain was the first country in continental Europe to report cases of swine flu, in late April 2009.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, First cases in Europe
On 27 April, Spain confirmed the first case of Swine influenza in Europe. The patient was a 23-year-old man that had returned from Mexico on the 22nd and was in hospital with flu-like symptoms. The case was confirmed in Almansa, in the province of Albacete.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, First cases in Europe
On 28 April, a second case was confirmed in Valencia. The patient had traveled to Mexico with the first confirmed patient. Other cases in Valencia and the Basque Country were reported soon afterwards.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, First cases in Europe
By 30 April, there were 13 confirmed and 80 unconfirmed cases throughout Spain.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, First cases in Europe
By 5 May, there were 73 confirmed cases, of which only nine had not travelled to Mexico in the previous four months.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, First cases in Europe
By 29 April 2010, Spain had confirmed 1,536 cases and 300 deaths, as well as reporting 155,051 unconfirmed cases.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Response
The Health and Social Policy minister, Trinidad Jiménez, announced that all passengers coming from Mexico, United States, Canada, New Zealand, Colombia, France and Israel have to fill a form during their flight.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Response
There was a reinforcement of medical teams in all airports to handle possible swine flu cases.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Response
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommended cancelling any travel to Mexico unless strictly necessary. It also recommended reevaluating the need to travel to the United States.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Affected areas, Deaths
A 19-year-old woman in Spain became the first patient in continental Europe who died because of swine flu. A second death was confirmed on 9 July in the Canary Islands, it was a 41-year-old man with a chronic disease. The second affected land in Europe has reported seven death cases up to 29 July.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Affected areas, Madrid outbreak
In early June Madrid suffered an outbreak of swine flu among school children. By 9 June over 100 school children in Madrid had been confirmed to have swine flu.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Andalusia
On 21 August 2009 the first death occurred in Andalusia when a 39-year-old woman, 39 weeks pregnant, died six days after being admitted to the Hospital Valme in Sevilla. On the same day, a 50-year-old woman died in the Hospital de La Línea (Cádiz) after being admitted on 3 August.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Andalusia
On 23 August, a morbidly obese 20-year-old woman died after being admitted to the Hospotal San Cecilio de Granada on 19 August. This was the third fatality due to H1N1 that weekend.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Community of Madrid
On 22 May 2009, the Ministry of Defence quarantined the Military Engineering Academy in Hoyo de Manzanares, where there were six confirmed and a further five suspected cases.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Community of Madrid
On 1 June 2009, the Community of Madrid Health Office (represented by Juan José Güemes) confirmed two cases at the Isaac Albéniz secondary school and announced that this number could increase considerably in the future. The school head reported 25 cases, but these have not been confirmed.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Community of Madrid
On 9 June 2009, the Community of Madrid Health Office confirmed 121 cases in 17 schools. On 11 June 2009, there were 139 cases confirmed in 22 schools.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Community of Madrid
On 29 June 2009 a 20-year-old woman died after giving birth, becoming the first to die of H1N1 infection in Spain.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Community of Madrid
On 16 July, the fourth death in Spain and second in the Community of Madrid occurred. A 71-year-old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease died in the Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Community of Madrid
On 24 August 2009, a man died in a Madrid hospital (although his identity was not revealed on his family's request). This was the sixteenth death due to the H1N1 virus in Spain.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Canary Islands
On 9 July 2009 the second death occurred in the Canary Islands. A 41-year-old man died in the ICU of the Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Doctor Negrín in Las Palmas. His rapid deterioration was due to a previous condition.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Canary Islands
On 12 August, the tenth death due to H1N1 occurred in Spain with the death of a 30-year-old man, admitted to the Hospital Insular de Gran Canaria on 20 July, who also showed additional risk factors.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Canary Islands
On 17 August, an 11-year-old boy died of a chronic illness which was aggravated by the H1N1 infection.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Balearic Islands
On 16 July 2009, the third death occurred in the Hospital Son Llàtzer, Palma, Majorca. The deceased was a 33-year-old Nigerian woman with no previous health issues.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Valencian community
On 20 July 2009 in Teulada, Spain a man who had been on dialysis since 1993 died. This was the fifth death at the national level.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Valencian community
On 27 July 2009 the sixth person died: a 53-year-old man, in the Hospital La Ribera in Alzira, Valencia. He had a serious prior pathology.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Valencian community
On 10 August the ninth person died: a 28-year-old woman admitted to the Hospital 9 de Octubre in Valencia.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Valencian community
On 14 August the eleventh victim died, a 31-year-old pregnant woman in an irreversible coma in the Hospital General, Castellón de la Plana.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Castilla-La Mancha
On 29 July 2009, a 34-year-old man died (the seventh in Spain) in Villarrobledo, Albacete. He had been admitted on 12 July with a serious illness.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Catalonia
On 4 August 2009 the first death in Catalonia and eighth in the country occurred. The patient, a 35-year-old woman, died in Girona after being admitted to hospital two days before.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Galicia
The first case of H1N1 in Galicia was recorded on 29 April 2009 in the province of Ourense, although it was not confirmed until several days later. The victim was a woman who had recently travelled to Mexico.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Galicia
Patients with similar symptoms to those of H1N1 had been recorded previously and were considered as possible cases at the time. The first was detected in Mos on 27 April 2009 in a middle-aged male patient who had arrived from Mexico several days beforehand. The first flu case in Spain was confirmed on the same day in Almansa, but was unrelated. On 1 May 2009 another new suspected case appeared in A Coruña, also in a Mexican person. Several days later these cases were confirmed to be unrelated to H1N1.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Spain, Confirmed cases by autonomous community, Galicia
On 27 August 2009 a 33-year-old male died in Vigo due to complications from flu, although he suffered from other serious conditions.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan
2009 flu pandemic in Taiwan began on May 20, 2009, when a non-citizen who had been living in Taiwan returned from the United States via Hong Kong. By the end of September, more than 90% of influenza A detected in the community were Influenza A (H1N1).


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Initial response
After WHO raised the influenza pandemic phase to phase 4 on April 28, 2009, Taiwan established the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), and convened the first CECC meeting on the same day. Taiwan CDC also announced pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection as category I notifiable disease which should be reported within 24 hours and all suspect patients should be hospitalized and isolated till the diagnosis was excluded.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Initial response
Besides routine fever screening, which has been in place since the SARS period in 2003, multiple border quarantine measures began on April 29 to delay the importation of the virus, as a result of meeting. On-board quarantine was performed on all flights came directly from the Americas and passengers were encouraged to report voluntarily to quarantine officers if they had flu-like symptoms. Through enhanced screening and quarantine, the first imported case was found when a 52-year-old foreign resident of Taiwan returned from the United States via Hong Kong on May 20.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Initial response
The man had been in the United States from February 20 to May 18 and was symptomatic on his flight back to Taiwan. He was sent to designated hospital directly from the airport, isolated, treated with oseltamivir and recovered fully. All passengers seated within three rows of the ill passenger were contacted, given chemoprophylaxis and quarantined. Quarantine on board discontinued on May 20, after the first case was found. In the following week, 9 more imported cases were found by fever screening in the airport.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Initial response
On May 24, the first domestic case that became infected with influenza A (H1N1) through close contact with an imported case was diagnosed. Because of enhanced contact tracing and prophylactic treatment, local transmission of the virus was stopped and no other domestic cases were found. Details of the control measures and clinical characteristics of the first 61 imported cases of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) has been published in the following article in Taiwan Epidemiology Bulletin.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, First cluster
Throughout the next few days, cases continued to be imported from abroad. On June 11, Taiwan Centers for Disease Control reported three cases imported from Thailand. Investigation found that some cases had been on a group tour in Thailand. More cases were found in these tour groups in the next few days. Thailand confirmed that the virus was found in a discothèque.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, First cluster
On 17 June 2009, it was known that a female diplomat working in Taiwan's Diplomatic Quarter had contracted the virus. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was widely critiqued for trying to keep the outbreak hidden.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Surveillance
Taiwan CDC has multiple surveillance systems ( disease surveillance )to monitor the epidemic.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Surveillance, Complicated influenza
Influenza A (H1N1) was removed from list of Category I Notifiable Disease and was included in the list of Category IV and reported as influenza complications on June 19. All cases with influenza-like illness and pulmonary complications, neurological complications, myocarditis/pericarditis, invasive bacterial infection or those who needed intensive care or died because of the illness should be reported to Taiwan CDC within one week of diagnosis. The first case of complicated influenza was reported on July 17, 2009. The first mortality case was reported on July 30, 2009. The first case in pregnant woman was confirmed on August 15. From June 19, 2009 to January 23, 2010, 884 case of complicated pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infections were reported and confirmed, including 39 deaths. The mortality rate is around 2 per million population. Characteristics of the first 100 cases of complicated influenza can be found in the following article.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Surveillance, Virologic surveillance
Taiwan CDC's central lab and 10 contract labs are responsible for the virologic surveillance for seasonal and pandemic influenza. Soon after the start of the pandemic, Taiwan CDC developed its own diagnostic method for pandemic influenza A (H1N1), which is rapid, sensitive and specific. Six weeks after the first case of influenza A (H1N1) was imported, on July 2, it was confirmed that the virus was circulating in the communities. Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) had become the dominant community strain since the 30th week of 2009, and accounts for more than 90% of all influenza strains isolated.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Surveillance, Virologic surveillance
First Oseltamivir-resistant pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus strain was discovered in October, 2009. Since June 1, 2009, more than 800 isolates were tested for oseltamivir resistance and 8 were found to be resistant. All resistant strains developed after oseltamivir treatment and there are no evidence of continuous transmission of these strains.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Surveillance, Outpatient surveillance
Taiwan CDC's database links with that of more than 300 hospitals all over the country. The number of patients diagnosed of influenza among all patients who visited the emergency department/outpatient department of these hospitals were calculated (ER/outpatient ILI consultation rate). According to the consultation rate, the first peak of influenza A(H1N1) infection in Taiwan was in the 36th week of 2009, followed by the second peak in the 48th week. The trend was going down since the beginning of 2010 and has remained low till now.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Surveillance, Pneumonia and influenza (P&I) mortality surveillance
Deaths reported through the National Death Certificate System mentioning P&I asthe cause of death were calculated and compared to that of the previous influenza season. By the beginning of 2010, the number is below that for this time last year. The number ofdeaths mentioning P&I for age groups 0–49, 50–64, and greater than 65 years was the highest for adults greater than 65 years of age.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Control measures, Antiviral stockpile
In addition to oseltamivir, CECC also procured zanamivir for the pandemic. The first shipment of stockpiled antivirals was released on August 29. All medication was paid by the National Health Insurance.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Control measures, Medical care system
On August 17, 2009, Taiwan CDC published the "Clinical Treatment Guideline for Influenza A(H1N1)", which is a result of collaborative work with the Infectious Diseases Society of Taiwan, Taiwan Pediatric Association, Nosocomial Infection Control Society of Taiwan and Taiwan Society of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Guidelines on diagnosis, treatment and control of nosocomial infection are included. According to the guideline, oseltamivir is suggested to be given to patients with influenza-like illness and a positive rapid influenza diagnostic test result, patients with complicated influenza and patients with high risk conditions as defined by the WHO.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Control measures, Medical care system
National Health Insurance, a compulsory social insurance system, is covering >98% of the population and contracting with >90% of the medical care institutions in Taiwan. Since August 15, 2009, oseltamivir can be prescribed free of charge in more than 3500 contracted clinics/hospitals for patients fulfilling the above criteria. Furthermore, the Taiwan Medical Association indicated that the doctors would help ease the load of patients by having clinics open on weekends.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Control measures, Vaccination
On June 1, the CECC began the process to procure influenza A(H1N1) vaccine. As a result, 15 million doses of vaccine were bought from two manufacturers (Adimmune and Novartis), covering 60% of the population. Vaccine priority list was announced in August and mass vaccination began on November 1. Vaccinations were first given to targeted high risk groups, and to school aged children who are likely to spread the disease. Medical personnel were the first to be immunized. Data from a cross-national study showed that 76% of physicians in Taiwan have been vaccinated, which was the highest among all the physicians interviewed.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Control measures, Vaccination, National Immunization Day
On December 12, 2009, vaccination was opened up to everyone. A large vaccination campaign was conducted to boost vaccination coverage. Vaccination stations were set up in hospitals, clinics, department stores and community gathering places. A total of 563,712 doses of vaccines (2.4% of population) were administered on that day. By the end of January 2010, approximately 24% of the total population have been immunized. To improve the accessibility of vaccination, phone lines set up by local health bureaus in cities and counties are open for the public to book a group appointment for pandemic influenza A (H1N1) vaccination. To prevent further spread of the virus in the coming 9-day holiday of the Chinese New Year, immunization stations were set up in airports and Taipei Station to vaccinate travellers since February 1, 2010.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Control measures, Vaccination, Surveillance for adverse events following immunization
To ensure and safety and effectiveness of H1N1 vaccine, Taiwan CDC has passive and active surveillance system for vaccine adverse events. For passive surveillance, any adverse event happens after H1N1 immunization can be reported to local health bureau and Taiwan CDC. For active surveillance, vaccination record database is linked with the National Health Insurance database to ensure that the incidence of neurological diseases (such as Guillain–Barré syndrome), cardiovascular disease, adverse pregnancy outcome, stroke and anaphylaxis does not exceed the background incidence.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Control measures, Vaccination, Surveillance for adverse events following immunization
By January 26, 2010, 1176 suspected vaccine-related adverse events have been reported, including 330 suspected serious adverse events and 35 deaths. Based on the number of vaccine doses administered, the incidence of adverse events and serious adverse events did not exceed the expected value. Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) committee is composed of a group of expert consultants with expertise in clinical medicine, pathology, sociology and law. It works independently from the government and is responsible for reviewing petitions requesting compensation for individuals thought to be injured by a vaccine.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Control measures, Vaccination, Surveillance for adverse events following immunization
As of January 29, 2010, the VICP has received a total of 218 claims requesting compensation for individuals thought to be injured by the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) vaccine. VICP has completed reviewing 39 petitions. Five cases were ruled compensable (association is confirmed in one while association cannot be excluded in the other four) while the other thirty-four cases were ruled non-compensable.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Control measures, School closures
In the beginning of the pandemic, the strategy was to contain the disease. During containment, one case was found in a school-aged child, resulting in the suspension of classes for the entire school. After school re-commenced in the fall, instead of closing the entire school, it was decided that only classrooms with two or more students with influenza in a 3-day period would have classes suspended for 5 days, which is the so-called 325 rule for class suspension.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Control measures, School closures
School-based vaccination program started on November 16, 2009 and half of the students in elementary or junior high school were vaccinated against flu by the end of November. Therefore, the rule for class suspension shifted from 325 to "814". Class suspension is no longer indicated, if >80% of the students in a class have been vaccinated for more than 2 weeks. The number of suspended classes reached its peak by the end of November, when more than 2000 classrooms were suspended daily all over Taiwan. However, because of successful school-based immunization program, less than 5 classrooms were suspended daily by the end of 2009.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Mass communication
Taiwan CDC has multifacet strategies to communicate with the public, media and the medical personnels. Daily and weekly updates on the statistics of influenza A(H1N1) is available on the website. Important news about policy and current situation of the pandemic will be announced as press releases in routine news conference and on the website. Many celebrities, including Chien-Ming Wang, participated in H1N1 prevention campaign by shooting videos to urge the public to work as a team to stop H1N1. The 24/7 hotline of Taiwan CDC-1922, is an important channel of communication with the public.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Taiwan, Mass communication
1922 hotline deals with any inquiries related to communicable diseases such as reporting, diagnosis, consultation and referral. As the pandemic evolves, the number of incoming calls increased to more than 3000 per week. Many vaccine-related adverse events were reported via this hotline. It also provides first-hand information about how the policy is being executed. Since August 2009, CECC releases "E-Letter to doctors" to disseminate the latest information regarding diagnosis, treatment and policy making about influenza A(H1N1). By the end of 2009, 61 letters had been issued. More than 6000 doctors in Taiwan have subscribed.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Turkey
The 2009 flu pandemic was a global outbreak of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1, first identified in April 2009, termed Pandemic H1N1/09 virus by the World Health Organization (WHO) and colloquially called swine flu. The outbreak was first observed in Mexico, and quickly spread globally. On 11 June 2009, WHO declared the outbreak to be a pandemic. The overwhelming majority of patients experience mild symptoms", but some persons are in higher risk groups, such as those with asthma, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, or who are pregnant or have a weakened immune system. In the rare severe cases, around 3–5 days after symptoms manifest, the sufferer's condition declines quickly, often to the point respiratory failure.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Turkey
The virus reached Turkey in May 2009. A U.S. citizen, flying from the United States via Amsterdam was found to be suffering from the swine flu after arriving at Istanbul's Atatürk International Airport. Turkey is the 17th country in Europe and the 36th country in the world to report an incident of swine flu.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Turkey
The Turkish Government has taken measures at the international airports, using thermal imaging cameras to check passengers coming from international destinations.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Turkey
The first case of person to person transmission within Turkey was announced on 26 July 2009.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Turkey
On 2 November, the Turkish Health Ministry began administering vaccines against H1N1 influenza, starting with health workers.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Turkey
After a slow start, the virus spread rapidly in Turkey and the number of cases reached 12,316. First death confirmed on 24 October and death toll reached 627.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine
The 2009 flu pandemic is a global outbreak of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1, first identified in April 2009, termed Pandemic H1N1/09 virus by the World Health Organization (WHO) and colloquially called swine flu. The outbreak was first observed in Mexico, and quickly spread globally. On the 11th June 2009, the WHO declared the outbreak to be a pandemic.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine
The overwhelming majority of patients experience mild symptoms", but some persons are at higher risk of suffering more serious effects; such as those with asthma, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, or those who are pregnant or have a weakened immune system. In the rare severe cases, around 3–5 days after symptoms manifest, the sufferer's condition declines quickly, often to the point respiratory failure. Although Ukraine was not (very) affected at first there was on outbreak of the virus in Western Ukraine early November 2009 which led to the closing of public buildings and meetings for three weeks.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine
As of December 2009 more than two million people had fallen ill since Ukraine's flu epidemic began and about 500 people of those died of flu and flu-like illnesses and its complications (pneumonia) of the 46 million people living in Ukraine. Ukraine is one of the most affected (8th) by swine flu country's in Europe.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine
According to Ukrainian Justice Minister Mykola Onischuk the epidemiological situation during October–December 2009 hasn't influenced the death rate in Ukraine.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, First cases
The virus reached Ukraine on 5 June 2009 when the first case of the virus was officially confirmed in Ukraine. The patient concerned, a 24-year-old Ukrainian citizen, had arrived from New York City via Paris at Kyiv's Boryspil Airport on May 29, 2009. Before that imports of pork and live pigs from all affected countries had been banned. The ban applied to all shipments after April 21, 2009.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, First cases
A second swine flu case (in Ukraine) was confirmed on September 29, 2009.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, October 2009
On October 27, 2009, an outbreak of influenza-like illness and deaths of seven people from its complications have been reported in Ternopil region. Schools and universities in Ternopil were closed.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, October 2009
Radio Netherlands Worldwide mentioned (on November 4) rumours about a plane said to have flown over the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, releasing powder containing a mutated variety of the A (H1N1) virus.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, October 2009
On 30 October 2009, Ukrainian Ministry of Health confirmed 11 new cases of swine flu, and the first death from it. An epidemic was declared and nine out of 25 regions of Ukraine were put under quarantine, on November 5, 2009 Kirovohrad became the 10th. Due to the outbreak public meetings, including cinema, were forbidden nationwide and all educational institutions were closed for three weeks (subject to extension if necessary). Conscription into the Ukrainian army was also suspended, and the Professional Football League of Ukraine postponed football matches in the Ukrainian First League and Second League.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, November 2009
A large shipment of Tamiflu was delivered from Switzerland to Ukraine on November 1, 2009 for distribution among hospitals for free.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, November 2009
On November 2, 2009, at Ukraine's request, the WHO sent a team of nine experts to determine if the same strain of swine flu was responsible for the 70 recent deaths from acute respiratory illness in the country.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, November 2009
According to the Ukrainian Health Ministry as of November 2, 2009 the number of people who have died of influenza and respiratory diseases has reached 60, the number of people suffering from the flu is 200,000 and about 22 patients tested positive for swine flu. On November 5, 2009 the Ministry said the death toll of patients with flu-related and acute respiratory illnesses had jumped to 95. 15 of 31 patient samples sent to London for laboratory analysis tested positive for the H1N1 virus.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, November 2009
As of November 6, 2009 twenty-eight cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Ukraine. Thirteen of these cases were in people who were dead by this point. The Ukrainian health ministry estimated that Ukraine required 12.5 million doses of vaccine against swine flu. Four days later, on November 10, 2009 the number of confirmed cases had risen to 67. However, only one more person had died. 1,031,587 people in Ukraine had contracted flu or a flu-like illness by then and of them 52,742 where hospitalized at the time of the report. Since there had been 174 deaths from acute respiratory viral infections  and other patients had recovered, this number is less than the total hospitalizations related to flu and flu-like illnesses.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, November 2009
At this point it was determined to implement a policy so that if at least one person had been diagnosed with swine flu in any region of Ukraine everyone in that region diagnosed with the flu would receive swine flu treatment.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, November 2009
On November 17, 2009, the WHO issued a statement that there were no significant differences between the pandemic H1N1 strain, and the Ukrainian strains tested.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, November 2009
Starting on November 18, 2009 the Ukrainian ministry of health stopped publishing separate statistics on cases of A/H1N1 influenza. Regional commissions were given the power to cancel quarantines of higher educational establishments on November 20.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, November 2009
On November 23 in the regions where the epidemic threshold for flu and respiratory infections wasn't reached educational institutions opened again; for instance on November 25, 2009 all educational institutions and kindergartens in Kyiv resumed work.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, December 2009
As of December 2, 2009 445 people had died of flu and flu-like illnesses with a total of  116,982 people hospitalized since the start of the epidemic (October 29, 2009). Of those hospitalized, 93,213 people had at the time been discharged from hospitals. On December 2 the epidemic threshold was still exceeded in the Zakarpattia and Khmelnytsky regions.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, December 2009
On December 7, 2009 more than two million people had fallen ill since Ukraine's flu epidemic began with 88 patients at the time in intensive care. At the time about 46 million people lived in Ukraine.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, December 2009
On December 8, 2009 468 people have died of flu and flu-like illnesses and its complications (pneumonia) in Ukraine with a total of 128,851 people that had been hospitalized since the start of the epidemic (October 29) and 102,510 people discharged from hospitals. On December 8 the epidemic threshold was still exceeded in Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Luhansk and Sumy regions.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, December 2009
As of December 2009 Ukrainian and World Health Organization officials have warned of a second and third wave of the flu epidemic starting in late December 2009 and early 2010. As of December 23, WHO says that H1N1 is resurging in Ukraine, as well as in Serbia and Turkey, with increasing influenza like illness and acute respiratory illness.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, December 2009
As of December 28, 652 people have died since the epidemic started in late October. At the time 258 people were in intensive care with dozens on respirators. More than 200,000 people have been hospitalized. Late December 2009 saw a high influenza activity in the Eastern Ukrainian provinces Donetsk Oblast and Luhansk Oblast.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, December 2009
Overall the spread of acute respiratory infections in Ukraine passed over a second peak late December 2009, almost three times up on the same time a year ago.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, January 2010
As of January 8 the WHO says that intense A/H1N1 virus activity continues in Ukraine, as well as in several other eastern Europe countries. As of January 23 Ukrainian health officials expect a second surge of flu and respiratory infections to strike early in February 2010.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Timeline, Flu epidemic, January 2010
The number of those who have died of flu and flu-like illnesses in Ukraine had increased to 940 people on January 12, 2010 with the epidemic threshold being exceeded in Dnipropetrovsk, Luhansk, Poltava, Sumy regions and Crimea; according to the Ukrainian Health Ministry. This number increased to 1,019 people on January 21, 2010 with the epidemic threshold being exceeded in the Dnipropetrovsk, Luhansk, Poltava and Sumy regions.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Epidemiology
According to Chief State Sanitary Doctor Oleksandr Bilovol, the mass refusal by Ukrainians to be vaccinated (after several persons allegedly died after vaccinations in 2008 and 2009) was partly the cause for the epidemic.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Epidemiology
According to Ukrainian doctors the Government of Ukraine had provided no public information and taken no precautionary measures to prevent the pandemic. In November, the WHO praised the Ukrainian government for the measures it took to prevent the spread of the flu epidemic in Ukraine. According to a poll carried out by the Institute of Social and Political Psychology of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine in November 2009 Ukrainian citizens had mainly negative feelings about measures being taken by the government to fight the flu epidemic. According to the poll, 49.8% of respondents made a negative assessment of the activities of the Cabinet of Ministers (37.4% a positive one), 44.8% the Health Ministry (28.1% positive), 57.4% the president and his secretariat (18.8% positive), and 50.4% the Verkhovna Rada (parliament of Ukraine) (18.6% positive).


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Epidemiology
Ukrainian analysts have suggested that politicians, mainly Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, have tried to use the pandemic to score political points with the January 2010 presidential election in mind. This has been denied. According to a poll by Research & Branding Group the majority of Ukrainians think that the epidemic of flu will not affect the presidential elections.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Epidemiology
According to a November 2009 poll by FOM-Ukraine 33.3% of Ukrainians think that the public panic about the flu epidemic helped Prime Minister Tymoshenko the most, while 28.7% said it was a boost for all politicians (other individual politicians where polled at <10%). Asked what caused the panic, 45.6% pointed to the media, and 20.3% to government representatives.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Epidemiology
According to the Ukrainian Health Ministry the average daily number of legalities caused by flu in 2009 was lower than in 2008, when it was 18.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Epidemiology
During the pandemic Ukrainians started to eat onions and garlic (in Lviv, the price of garlic had skyrocketed in November 2009), took vitamins, spent more time at home, and drank alcoholic beverages in order to protect themselves from flu and flu-like illnesses.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Epidemiology
As of mid-December 2009 the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament) has allocated over 600 million hryvnya to fight the flu epidemic in Ukraine.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Comparisons within Europe
Based on data collected from 43 European countries, on 13 November 2009 the WHO announced that Ukraine had the 8th highest infection rate of A/H1N1 (following Norway, Sweden, Bulgaria, Moldova, Iceland, Ireland and Russia) in Europe. Furthermore, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Poland, various regions of Russia, Northern Ireland, Turkey, Finland, and Ukraine had a high sickness rate of А/Н1N1 flu.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Comparisons within Europe
According to Jukka Pukkila, head of a WHO international mission to Ukraine, "there is no difference concerning the rate of A/H1N1 flu infection in Ukraine compared to other countries". WHO tests of the H1N1 pandemic virus samples taken from Ukrainian patients haven't exposed any signs of mutation.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine, Comparisons within Europe
A total of 22 countries have assisted Ukraine in fighting its flu epidemic.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Uruguay
The Influenza A (H1N1), also known by the name of swine flu, arrived to Uruguay on May 27, 2009.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Uruguay, Timeline, May
May 27: The Ministry of Health confirmed the two first cases of Influenza A (H1N1) in the country, one of them is a 24-year-old man and the other is a 15-year-old minor. Both have travelled to Argentina and returned to Montevideo without apparent symptoms. Both have participated in an Equestrian Tournament that was being held on Argentina. The Ministry of Health warned about taking preventive measures against contracting the disease.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Uruguay, Timeline, May
May 29: Four new cases were confirmed. The age of the infected persons are between 11 and 28 years old, all located in Montevideo. The Ministry of Health is studying new probable cases, one located in Florida, one in Salto, and two in Rivera. The total number of cases ascends to six.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Uruguay, Timeline, May
May 31: Five new cases confirmed. The Ministry of Health have studied 33 suspected cases, only five cases are positive. Four of them are from Montevideo, and the remaining, is the first case from Canelones. The number of cases are now 11.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Uruguay, Timeline, June
June 1: Four new cases confirmed. The Ministry of Health declares that all of the infected cases are 'imported' from Argentina. However, Uruguay will not shut down borders with the bordering countries. The first case in Colonia is detected. The number of cases are now 15.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Uruguay, Timeline, June
June 4: Two new cases confirmed. These cases are located in Montevideo, the total of cases is of 17.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Uruguay, Timeline, June
June 5: Four new cases confirmed, all from Montevideo. The total is now raised to 21.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Uruguay, Timeline, June
June 7: Three new cases. All those infected, with one exception, are of Montevideo, the remaining case is from Canelones. Two schools announced that will be closed the next day in order to prevent infections. The total is now of 24.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Uruguay, Timeline, June
June 8: Three new cases are reported. Another school closes its doors in order to prevent a raise in infected cases. The total of cases is raised to 27.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Uruguay, Timeline, June
June 9: Five new cases, raising the total to 32. One of which is located in Maldonado.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Uruguay, Timeline, June
June 10: Four new cases, all of them located in Montevideo. The total is now raised to 36.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Uruguay, Timeline, June
June 22: After several days of silence regarding to diagnosing cases, the Ministry of Health has announced that Uruguay has a total of 195 cases. No reports of death have been confirmed yet.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Uruguay, Timeline, June
June 29: The first death appears; it was a 60-year-old woman, who had also another organic disorders, that, added to the flu, led to her death.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Uruguay, Timeline, July
July 3: Three new deaths registered on the country. A 60-year-old retired fireman was the second decease of the A Influenza outbreak, started on Uruguay last May 27, he had diabetes and cardiovascular diseases that led to his death. In Punta del Este (Maldonado), a 54-year-old woman turned into the third fatal case on the country, as the previous cases, she had several pathological problems, (cardiac between them). And a 56-year-old woman in Montevideo, became the fourth dead due to this disease. She had, as well, many pathological problems, including morbid obesity, and diabetes.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Uruguay, Decision of the Ministry of Health
On June 12, 2009, the Ministry of Public Health announced that it will stop notifying H1N1 cases, stating that since the H1N1 has achieved the pandemic status, the notification of new cases is no longer needed. However, Uruguay wouldn't stop studying new probable cases. On June 17, 2009, the number of probable cases were from more than 1.500, a specific number can't be specified as of 2013.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Venezuela
The Influenza A (H1N1), also known as the swine flu, was detected in Venezuela on the 28th of May. The first infected person was a 22-year-old man in San Antonio de Los Altos, Miranda State. He was participating on a meeting in Panamá, and returned to Venezuela carrying the virus


2009 swine flu pandemic in Venezuela, Timeline, May
May 28: The disease was first detected in Venezuela, when a man from San Antonio de Los Altos, Miranda returned infected from Panamá. "This citizen traveled to Panamá on an activity of the Rotary Club, which was held on a hotel, which was attended by 150 people from seven countries" declared the minister. According to the Bolivarian News Agency and health authorities, the patient was perfectly fine, He was not critical and was in isolation, to prevent him from spreading the disease to others .


2009 swine flu pandemic in Venezuela, Timeline, May
May 29: The second case was confirmed. It was a  couple who had traveled with him to Panamá .


2009 swine flu pandemic in Venezuela, Timeline, May
May 31: The third case confirmed, his mother was infected.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Venezuela, Timeline, June
June 3: A new case confirmed, making it the fourth in the country. The infected person was a young man, who came from Brazil, detected on the Aeropuerto Internacional de Maiquetía Simón Bolívar.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Venezuela, Timeline, June
June 7: 8 new cases confirmed. They were from Colombia, Panamá, France and the United States.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Venezuela, Timeline, June
June 9: First case detected on Táchira State, coming from a 50-year-old woman, who had recently come from the United States. The number of cases rose to 14.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Venezuela, Timeline, June
June 10: 25 cases confirmed in total. Two girls from 4 and 11 years old are reported on the Vargas State.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Venezuela, Timeline, June
June 12: The number of cases rose to 37. 5 of them are from Anzoátegui, 1 on Zulia, 1 on Aragua and another one on the Miranda State.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Venezuela, Timeline, June
June 13: By this day, the number of cases was of 40, even although the Ministry of Health had announced the day before that the total number of cases was of 37,he had omitted 2 cases .


2009 swine flu pandemic in Venezuela, Timeline, June
June 14: 44 cases confirmed up to date. 4 cases were confirmed on Nueva Esparta, Aragua, Mérida State and Miranda (One case per state).


2009 swine flu pandemic in Venezuela, Timeline, June
June 16: 52 total cases in Venezuela. 7 new cases, 4 of them are located on Aragua, and the remaining 3 on Miranda.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Venezuela, Timeline, June
June 17: The health authorities placed an ocean cruiser on quarantine with more than 1.300 persons on board on Isla Margarita, since 3 persons were positive on the A (H1N1) virus exam. 8 new cases confirmed, increasing the total to 60, 4 on Miranda, 2 on Carabobo, 1 on Aragua and 1 on Anzoátegui.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Venezuela, Timeline, June
June 20: For this date, the number of cases was 92, distributed in these regions: Anzoátegui: 17, Apure: 1, Aragua: 13, Bolivar: 2, Capital District: 2, Carabobo: 3, Guarico: 1, Lara: 1, Mérida: 6, Miranda: 29, Nueva Esparta: 3, Táchira: 6, Vargas: 2 and Zulia: 6.


2009 swine flu pandemic in Venezuela, Reaction
Due to the increasing number cases on the neighbour countries, the president of the National Institute of Hygiene, Jesús Querales, assured last June 4, that the Venezuelan authorities would keep their efforts on the epidemiological surveillance in order to prevent the propagation of the virus. According to the president, he said that the country has the necessary resources to fight the virus.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines
The 2009 flu pandemic was confirmed to have spread to the Philippines on May 21, 2009. In the following days, several local cases were reported to be caused by contact with two infected Taiwanese women who attended a wedding ceremony in Zambales.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines
The 18-year-old arrived at the country on May 18 and was hospitalized the day after at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa. On May 21, Department of Health (DOH) secretary Francisco Duque confirmed the case being the first Philippine swine flu case. The first confirmed case in the Philippines was publicly announced on May 22, 2009.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines
Since the outbreak of A(H1N1) in the Americas, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo urged the Department of Health, the Bureau of Immigration, the Bureau of Quarantine and other concerned agencies to control monitor airport and seaport arrivals for possible flu infection. Thermal imaging equipment were installed at major airports to screen passengers coming from infected countries for flu symptoms. The Philippines may quarantine travelers arriving from Mexico with fever. Also, the importation of hogs from the U.S. and Mexico was manned, and the restriction of swine influenza vaccine use was retracted. First death was reported on June 19, 2009, a 49-year-old female Filipino employee of the Congress, as well as the first death in Asia.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Cases, Detection and confirmation of the first case
On May 18, 2009, a Filipino family coming from a trip in Houston, Texas arrived in the country. Though infected by the flu, their ten-year-old female child did not exhibit any symptoms except a day after arrival. Due to this, her parents decided to inform the local health authorities about it, prompting Department of Health (DOH) representatives to require the girl to undergo laboratory testing at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Cases, Detection and confirmation of the first case
On Thursday, May 21, health authorities and the RITM were able to confirm that the girl was and the first virus "carrier" through throat specimen tests, and the first A(H1N1) infected in the Philippines.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Cases, Detection and confirmation of the first case
The next day, Health Secretary Duque announced the first flu case at a conference of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva. He then assured members of the media at that time that there was no outbreak of A(H1N1) in the Philippines. The patient was treated with oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and other anti-viral drugs and was discharged on May 28.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Cases, Deaths
During the pandemic, the Department of Health (DOH) has officially counted for 8 A/H1N1 deaths. The DOH kept record until July 29, 2009. A separate European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control report dated September 9, 2009 tallied the number of deaths in the Philippines to 28. The first A(H1N1) fatality in the Philippines was a 49-year-old woman who also had a chronic heart disease who died on June 19. The woman is an employee of the House of Representatives and is a resident of Santa Rosa, Laguna. The case was also the first recorded death in Asia.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Cases, Community outbreaks
In mid-June 2009, the first community outbreak of A(H1N1) in the Philippines was confirmed by the Department of Health. The followed the confirmation of eight mild cases in Jaen, Nueva Ecija. The town was placed under a state of calamity on June 16, 2009, when the town already had 19 confirmed cases. Community outbreaks were also declared in parts of Metro Manila, Baguio, and Eastern Visayas.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, National responses, Presidential actions
In a press conference, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said that President Arroyo has reiterated her instructions to the DOH, the Bureau of Immigration and all other concerned agencies to be on the top of the situation for regular updates.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, National responses, Presidential actions
The president also ensured that the government is ready to give one million capsules of Tamiflu in case of an epidemic.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, National responses, Presidential actions
Despite the increasing number of cases of A(H1N1) in the country, Press Secretary Remonde said that the Palace is not alarmed with the sudden surge of disease in the Philippines.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, National responses, Travel bans and advisories
The government issued travel advisories for Mexico, the United States and other mostly-infected areas, advising Filipinos to refrain from making unnecessary travel.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, National responses, Policy of mitigation
Though the influenza virus is now treated mild, DOH will only then treat it like an ordinary flu, whereas it is no longer an obligation to follow all sick persons. According to Duque, if they shall continue their containment policy, the DOH will lose all their resources. He added, "Ituturing na lamang namin ito na parang [isang] karaniwang trangkaso na lamang. Mahirap namang babantayan mo[/natin] lahat ng [mga] 'yan[g pasyente]." (We shall treat this disease like an ordinary influenza). It is so difficult, as you think, to follow and trace all of them (the patients).


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, National responses, Policy of mitigation
On the other hand, DOH shifted into policy of mitigation where patients with symptoms anomaly exhibiting swine flu will just go see a doctor.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, National responses, Government action, Vaccine issues and benefits
Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, head of the Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases Program of the Department of Health (DOH), said that the Philippine government, on July 5, still cannot afford to buy mass vaccine, which is estimated to cost PhP 1,000 per dosage. He said that the elderly, among the high-risk group in the Philippines, has a population of around 3.6 million, and vaccination among them requires PhP 3.6 billion (which is a tentative equivalent for the health department's three-year budget).


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, National responses, Government action, Vaccine issues and benefits
Dr. Lee Suy also added that the stocked 1.5 million anti-viral medicines such as Tamiflu by the DOH is not enough for possible epidemic since most of them are given free to discourage uncontrolled and panic buying. He also said that high-risked group does not only includes elderly, but individuals 5 years and below and with naturally harmful diseases.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, National responses, Government action, Vaccine issues and benefits
On July 7, Roche Philippines announced that it would cut down prices of Tamiflu from PhP 1,000 to PhP 880, to ensure adequate supply of the said anti-viral drug in the Philippines and the rest of the world.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, National responses, Government action, Vaccine issues and benefits
The same day, in a hearing at the Philippine House of Representatives (Congress), Health secretary Francisco Duque requested PhP 19.8 billion fund for H1N1 resistance. He said that the money will be used for buying vaccines (PhP 16 billion), subsidizing poor patients and assistance to the families of poor victims (PhP 3 billion), and implementing rules and rehabilitation of target hospitals for H1N1 patients (PhP 800 million). The Congress questioned the amount of fund largely it is too huge to award and that there are no vaccine yet to buy. On the same hand, Iloilo Representative Ferjenel Biron, also the chairman of the House Committee on Health, asked the secretary to cut its requested budget down to 10% or PhP 2 billion.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, National responses, Government action, Vaccine issues and benefits
On July 27, 2009, the Department of Health announced that the doctors and other health workers such as nurses, aides and volunteers that helped the government to assist H1N1 patients and victims will be among the group that will become the first recipient of 100,000 H1N1 vaccine from the World Health Organization. The vaccine is expected to be out from United States by mid-October.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, National responses, Government action, Vaccine issues and benefits
On August 2, San Juan, Metro Manila officials created a city ordinance seeking PhP 1 million budget seeking for an immediate purchase for health workers in the said city. The resolution will be known as “Battle Against Swine Flu Virus” Ordinance. At the same time, around 3,500 employees of the Caloocan City Hall were given free ant-flu vaccine shots, "to strengthen local government employees' immune system against seasonal flu".


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Impact, Education
The day after the confirmation of the first case in the country, the Department of Education (DepEd) indicated that classes will continue to start on June 1 as scheduled. In consulting with Secretary Duque, both he and Education Secretary Jesli Lapus reached a decision to go on with the original scheduled date of the opening of classes. Dr. Tayag also said that there is no reason for class suspension unless there is an actual outbreak in the country. Secretary Lapus has instructed schools to carry out seminars and launch an information campaign about the symptoms and virus prevention among schools.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Impact, Education
In line with this, Secretary Duque issued on May 30 a response alert system on when schools should suspend their classes.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Impact, Education
Following the raising of the response alert level to Level 4, the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) moved the opening of classes for all colleges and universities nationwide from June 8 to 15, 2009. The postponement of classes was meant to enable the students, especially those coming from abroad vacations, to monitor their health and undergo self-quarantine in case of any virus symptoms will exhibit.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Impact, Education
Classes from the elementary to the college level were suspended in various schools in the Philippines due to cases of A(H1N1) being confirmed among their population.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Impact, Politics
Work at the House of Representatives was suspended from June 23 to 28, due to the confirmation of at a death of an employee of the lower house from A(H1N1).


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Impact, Religious sector
Temporary changes in the conduct of Mass by the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines was made as a response to the A(H1N1) pandemic. On June 5, Manila Archbishop Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales through instructions to Fr. Genaro Diwa of the Ministry of the Liturgical Affairs of the Archdiocese of Manila, issued an advisory ordering priests to temporarily give communion only by the hand, instead of the traditional mouth; and that holding hands during singing of the Lord's Prayer was to be discouraged. An Oratio Imperata obligatory prayer on H1N1 was also obligated to be recited by mass participants.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Impact, Religious sector
On June 23, the Archbishop of Jaro (in Iloilo) Angel Lagdameo ordered local churches to empty holy water stoups whereas churchgoers are strongly advised to do sign of the cross instead of using holy water.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Impact, Religious sector
Around two months after the memorandum ordering extra precautions on the mob regarding catching flu in churches, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) announced that the new flu strain failed to drag Filipino believers out of churches. According to Msgr. Achilles Dakay of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu, church attendance in the archdiocese remained normal despite advisories.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Impact, Tourism
Tourism secretary Joseph Ace Durano as of 24 May said that there were no reported cancellations in any tourism booking so far.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Affected regions
Mitigation means that we only do early detection and aggressive treatment of cases as they come especially for those with high-risk preexisting conditions. Those manifesting with mild symptoms can be managed and monitored at home so that only patients at risk who develop complications will have to be hospitalized. H1N1 will now become part of our Influenza-like Illness (ILI) surveillance activity and one of our notifiable diseases. It offers little benefit to do extensive tracing of this virus when it is clear that the disease can be passed on to others at a rate faster than it will ever be humanly possible to find the contacts.


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Affected regions
There were at least 50 infected provinces and cities in the Philippines (excluding Metro Manila component cities):


2009 swine flu pandemic in the Philippines, Affected regions
On the same hand, Metro Manila has the following infected cities: