Costa Rica
Free of Swine Flu, 21 Suspected Cases
Negative
San Jose
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Swine Flu
Toll on First
Phase of San Jose - Caldera Highway Begins
on May 9
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President Calderón To Formalize Today His
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Friday Is A Holiday!
12:35pm
Confirmed First Costa Rican With Swine Flu
The ministerio de Salud has confirmed the
first case of swine flu in Costa Rica and
Central America. The ministra de Salud,
María Luisa Ávila, confirmed that a 21 year
old women, arriving from Mexico three days
ago, is infected.
The ministra did not release the name of the
patient, only saying that the tests by the
Instituto de Investigación y Enseñanza en
Nutrición y Salud (Inciensa) have resulted
positive.
A sample of the strain is being sent to the
Centres for Desease Control in Atlanta,
Georgia.
Ministra Ávila explained that the woman had
been treated at a emergency room for a
hospital, but would not name the hospital.
Health officials, with the first case in the
country, have called an alert.
The symptoms of swine flu are a fever of 38
Celsius or more, muscular pain, lacrimation,
diarrhea and vomit associated with the high
fever.
In response to the intensifying outbreak
worldwide, the World Health Organization
(WHO) raised the worldwide pandemic alert
level to Phase 4.
A Phase 4 alert is characterized by
confirmed person-to-person spread of a new
influenza virus able to cause
“community-level” outbreaks.” The increase
in the pandemic alert phase indicates that
the likelihood of a pandemic has increased.
The CDC has activated its emergency
operations center to coordinate the agency’s
emergency response.
What
You Can Do to Stay Healthy
There are everyday actions people can take
to stay healthy.
* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue
when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue
in the trash after you use it.
* Wash your hands often with soap and water,
especially after you cough or sneeze.
Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also
effective.
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Germs spread that way.
* Try to avoid close contact with sick
people.
* Influenza is thought to spread mainly
person-to-person through coughing or
sneezing of infected people.
* If you get sick, it is recommended that
you stay home from work or school and limit
contact with others to keep from infecting
them. |
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