H1N1 vaccine optional: Health Ministry

Health Ministry affirmed here yesterday that the H1N1 vaccine was optional not mandatory. Dr. Ibrahim Abdulhadi, Undersecretary at the Ministry, told KUNA that news in the media about the mandatory vaccine was not true, stressing that the situation did not require such measures to be implemented. Kuwait witnessed around 8,644 cases of the H1N1 (commonly known as the swine flue) since last April with most cases recovering from the disease.

Ministry of Health announced on Thursday that around 22 cases of swine flu H1N1 were reported this week, a drop in the number of cases in comparison to the past months.

Thus, the total number of A(H1N1) cases in Kuwait has reached 8,644 since the outbreak of the virus in the country last April, the ministry's spokesman, Qais Al-Duweiri, said.

He added, the ministry follows the World Health Organization WHO's regulations, calling upon citizens to commit to precautionary guidelines to curb the spread of the disease.

Children under the age of five, pregnant women and those over the age of 65 years are more vulnerable to the disease, in addition to those with chronic illnesses and low immune systems.

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25th swine flu death in Kuwait

"It's been awhile but I'm back and the news brought shivers to my spine. Since my last post, swine flu death toll now rose to 25th. Whoa!Keep on with your good health measures people."

KUWAIT, Nov 9, (Agencies): A woman infected with the H1N1 virus has passed away bringing total number of swine flu fatalities in Kuwait to 25, the Health Ministry announced on Monday. Spokesman of the ministry, Qais Al-Duwairi, said in a statement to KUNA that the deceased had suffered from diabetes, cardiac illnesses and high blood pressure. The dead patient had been treated with drugs and antibiotics but her condition remained unstable till she succumbed to her illnesses late last night, the spokesman said. Her demise brought the death toll of swine flu fatalities in the country to 25. Up to 99 percent of recorded swine flu cases had recovered.

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Kuwait records 6th swine flu death

"Now, another one on 6th."

September 14, 2009
KUWAIT: Minister of Health Dr Hilal Al-Sayer announced the sixth H1N1 (swine flu virus) death in Kuwait. The deceased is a Kuwaiti woman in her fifties who was suffering from kidney failure, heart disease and other chronic diseases. She had been hospitalized for five days.

The Ministry of Health will hold regular press conferences every three weeks with the media to keep it updated, officials said. "We will provide the media with the latest news about the H1N1 virus through regular meetings with the media," said Dr Hilal Al-Sayer during the press conference yesterday.

The conference was attended by the Minister of Education and the undersecretaries and assisting undersecretaries from both ministries. The regulations and instructions made by the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding the closure of schools are not random.

The WHO gave the choice to each country to decide its own regulations of closing its schools according to its local circumstances and in the case that one percent of its population was infected. I assure you that Kuwait will never reach this stage of the disease. It is not true that there are 30 or 40,000 H1N1 infected persons in Kuwait. Kuwait will apply the recommendations of the health, education, and university experts meeting that will be held as well," Al-Sayer further said.

Meanwhile, news spread about the increased price of a vaccine. "I care most about protecting the country from the H1N1 virus and not the price of the vaccine. Also, no vaccine will be imported to the country unless it was approved by the WHO," he pointed out. According to the Minister of Education, Dr Moudhi Al-Humoud, there are three H1N1 infected cases in private schools, of which two were cured already.

The third is now receiving treatment. "About 120 school clinics were divided into the different education areas. There will be 20 clinics in each educational area in cooperation with the Ministry of Health," said Al-Humoud. The Ministry of Education increased it efforts due to the emergency situation of the H1N1 virus.

We must follow procedures to decrease the danger of this disease, including the meetings with the Ministry of Health. Based on the recommendation of the Ministry of Health and the WHO about the danger of this disease on the life of students who are under 5-years-old and who have weak immune systems and the handicapped, the Ministry of Education issued a decision previously to delay the school year for the kindergarten and the schools with special needs in both the private and public sectors, but it has no
t been applied yet.

In addition, awareness instructions were given to the teachers for such situations," Al-Homoud concluded. Regarding the news about the need for two vaccines to cure the H1N1 virus, the spokesman of the Ministry of Health, Faisal Al-Dosary, told the Kuwait Times that it was not true. "Only one vaccine is enough. According to all the research conducted, one vaccine will cover 96 percent of the disease," he stated.

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Teachers to undergo training on swine flu prevention

"Training teachers is quite impressive. Hoping for smooth sailing."

31 August 2009
KUWAIT: In the midst of the turmoil regarding the delay of the start of the school year, information revealed that thousands of teachers will start the school year after enrolling in training courses provided by the Ministry of Health. In the mean time, a number of members of the Parents of Students at English Schools group have protested the fact that English schools won't be included in any postponement decision, indicating that they will not be sending their kids to school if these schools remain out of any postponement plans.

Teachers at the training courses will be trained with taking precautionary measures from the threat of infection of the swine flu virus. They will also be trained to detect any cases of infection among students and ways of handling the situation.

Furthermore, the sources added that the Ministry of Education has provided each school with qualified teachers who will be forming emergency teams that will supervise any potential evacuation operations or any other escalation pertaining to the infection threat. These teams will be coordinating directly with the medical centers of their respective areas in order to control any infection cases before sending them to the center for prompt treatment.

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More infectious, unlikely to mutate

"Take a look at this."

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 1:
“The H1N1 pandemic virus has a clear biological advantage over the two main seasonal flu strains and all the makings of a virus fully adapted to humans,” Daniel Perez of the University of Maryland said in a statement.

“I’m not surprised to find that the pandemic virus is more infectious, simply because it’s new, so hosts haven’t had a chance to build immunity yet. Meanwhile, the older strains encounter resistance from hosts’ immunity to them,” Perez said. The researchers also found that the pandemic virus established infections deeper in the ferrets’ respiratory system, including the lungs, while the seasonal flu strains remained in the nasal passages. That confirmed observations in people. “The findings of this study are preliminary, but the far greater communicability of the pandemic virus is a clearly blinking warning light,” he said. The World Health Organization predicts a third of the world’s population will eventually be infected with swine flu.

Health Minister Dr Hilal Al-Sayer assured here on Tuesday that preperations are ready in all the medical centers in cooperation with Ministry of Education to deal with any swine flu crisis. In a statement to KUNA, Al-Sayer said after a meeting of the parliamentary health committee that took place today that the health situation in Kuwait is stable, and there is no need for undue concern. He praised the role of parliament members through their comments and opinions during the meeting, and affirmed to take them into consideration.

During the meeting, the preperation of the Health ministry was presented in the presence of WHO experts to combat the swine flu, where they were invited by Kuwait to examine the sitaution. Since April, the ministry has been following the situation of swine flu, and therefore, 120 clinics in different schools will be medically equipped in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Al-Sayer added. He said that the protoclos of the swine flu treatment have been developed and that as a result the number of cases have decreased lately.

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Pointless swine flu panic is not the answer

"Swine flu scare that is.. everyone seems to be affected especially those with little children. Geared with the right mindset and providing the proper health care for ourselves and our families, beyond doubt we will do immensely well."

September 01, 2009
To go to school or not to go to school; that is the question.

The National Assembly and the Council of Ministers have been going back on forth on whether public schools should reopen as scheduled at the end of September, or whether the reopening should be postponed due to the swine flu epidemic. The reason is that many MPs are worried that swine flu could spread quickly among young children. By postponing the start of the school year, parents might have enough time to vaccinate their children or take other necessary precautions.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has already stated that it does not recommend postponing the reopening of schools and, as far as I know, many other countries hit by swine flu have not postponed it. But leave it to our MPs to blow things out of proportion and create an unnecessary health scare, just to score some points with their constituents.

That swine flu is an infectious disease is undeniable. Adults and children need to take precautions against it and parents should educate their children about the importance of washing their hands frequently and putting their hands over their mouth when they cough. However, it must be stated in clear and simple language that swine flu is not automatically fatal, unless it infects individuals with preexisting health problems, such as obesity, pneumonia or pregnancy. Furthermore, most of the 200+ patients that have been infected in Kuwait have been cured and are now back to living their lives normally. The epidemic is real, but delaying the reopening of schools is not a cure; it is just an overreaction.

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Health panel meets; Govt insists 'no delay' for schools

"News on the first day of the month is as hot as the climate we are having right now. I am strongly definite everyone just yearns for safety against swine flu for all the students once school starts."

September 01, 2009
KUWAIT: The National Assembly health and labor committee will hold an expanded meeting today to discuss government preparations to face any possible outbreak of swine flu when students return to school by the end of September. Education Minister Modhi Al-Humoud however insisted that there will be no delay in reopening the schools beyond September 27 for Arabic schools and September 13 for private schools.

Humoud added that the ministry has taken all the necessary precautions along with the ministry of health. The minister's view was strongly backed yesterday by the World Health Organization expert who is visiting Kuwait. The expert said that the swine flu situation in Kuwait was "reassuring" and there was no need to delay reopening the schools on schedule. But MPs who are pushing for an emergency session of the National Assembly to discuss the swine flu situation said yesterday they were too close to get the required signatures to force the session.

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Kuwait delays kindergarten by two months over swine flu

"For those with preschoolers, foreign kindergarten schools will have its opening by September 13."

August 30, 2009
Kuwait has decided to delay the reopening of kindergartens for two months for fear of the spread of swine flu after the Gulf emirate reported over 1,000 cases, the education minister said on Sunday.

The cabinet decided at an emergency meeting on Saturday night that the measure will also affect schools for students with special needs and nurseries, while other schools will reopen on schedule in the last week of September, Mudhi al-Homud told the official Kuna news agency.

Kuwait has reported 1,336 cases of A (H1N1) influenza, four of whom have died, including a two-and-a-half-year-old girl and a pregnant woman.

The decision came after pressure from lawmakers who called on the government to delay reopening of all schools for two months after the rate of infection in the emirate picked up rapidly in the past few weeks.

About 30 MPs have signed a request to convene an emergency session of parliament next week to discuss government preparations to face the disease. They must secure the support of 33 MPs for the session to take place.

Authorities last week decided to delay reopening of kindergartens at foreign schools by two weeks until September 13.

Kuwait has invited experts from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to assess the situation, health ministry undersecretary Ibrahim al-Abdulhadi said, adding that the ministry has set up a special hotline and beefed up preparations for the start of the school year.

Kuwait has ample stocks of the anti-flu drug Tamiflu and has ordered 45,000 vaccines for October and another one million by the end of the year.

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Kuwait''s fifth swine flu death reported as nine year old

"An update for today that I can't miss posting."

KUWAIT, Aug 30 (KUNA) -- The Health Ministry reported the fifth death of swine flu in the State of Kuwait as a nine year old boy who had suffered chronic respiratory and chest ailments.

Ministry Spokesman Dr. Yousef Al-Nisif told KUNA the boy had been in critical condition due to chronic infection of the chest and later contracted the flu. The patient was in hospital since August 22 and given treatment and care in isolation at the Intensive Care Unit, but his health still deteriorated until he passed away late last night.

Most swine flu cases in the country have recovered, he noted, and all fatalities were of people already suffering serious and chronic ailments before getting the swine flu virus. So far, recovery rate of swine flu in Kuwait stands at 99 percent and cases are reported and detected at below international rates, with most of the cases being categorized as mild. Most susceptible to the swine flu virus are children below five, pregnant women, and those with chronic ailments such as diabetes, asthma, and those with weak immune system.

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Delaying schools reopening… not effective solutions; Coordinated efforts needed to stop spread of ‘swine flu’

"For those concerned, information about school opening is here including measures to prevent spread of swine flu among students."

“CLASSES in government schools will start as scheduled on Sept 27... meanwhile, asked about measures taken to combat swine flu, Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Moudhi Al-Humoud said the joint committee of the Ministries of Health and Education had placed an effective plan to counter the spread of swine flu in schools. She explained workshops have been held for administrative staff and teachers to train them on how to measure a child’s temperature and take preventive measures. She said 120 fully-equipped clinics had been established in schools and the ministry will hold intensive swine flu awareness campaigns for parents.” (Arab Times, Aug 26, 2009).

Using rational methods such as starting awareness campaigns for students’ families, school clinics, and administrative staff are steps in the right direction. Doing otherwise, for example postponing the start of school to an indefinite time does not seem to provide effective solutions to stop the spread of swine flu. Our only option in this regard should take the form of a coordinated effort by families, schools, and relevant government departments.

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Kuwait warns against online H1N1 drug sales

Image via Wikipedia

"A health care warning for everyone that is not worth taken for granted is never do self-medication. Information like this is crucial for everyone not only in Kuwait but also, for everyone around the globe."

Kuwait: August 24
Kuwait's Pharmaceutical Services Office and Poison Centre has warned the public not to buy antiviral drugs to treat swine flu via the internet without a doctor's prescription. By using such drugs, patients may increase the risk of weakening their resistance towards the virus, the Centre's Director Issam Al Baho said. He urged people to ensure an online pharmacy is legitimate before buy medicines, particularly from countries where online sales are not licensed.

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264 swine-flu cases reported during the week

"This is what I am talking about. Everyone must be sort of paranoid in public places. But then again an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Good thing information dissemination is being given importance for the public's health awareness i.e., awareness campaigns, billboards and advertisements on streets, plus sending out letters as health instructions."

"Again, I will repeat from my previous posts as a reminder. Symptoms of swine flu are similar to the regular seasonal flu - high fever over 37.8, running nose, aching body, headache, sore throat, upset stomach and difficulty in breathing. People with swine flu are likely to be contagious one day before and up to seven days after they begin to show swine flu symptoms, Dr. Musaad Al-Attiyah, Head of the Pharmaceutical Department at the Contagious Diseases Hospital, told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)."

Published Date: August 28, 2009
KUWAIT: The Health Ministry revealed 264 new cases of swine flu during the week, according to a health official yesterday. The number is lower than when compared to the earlier week, ministry spokesperson Yousif Al-Nisf said, indicating to a total number of 1,336, most of which have been treated. The ministry operates under the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), he said.

Al-Nisf stressed the need for residents to wash hands regularly, cover their mouths and noses when sneezing or coughing, to get lots of rest, to avoid unnecessary contact with others at diwaniyas, mosques or shopping centres, and to visit the doctor when experiencing any flu-like symptoms.

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Kuwait confirms fourth swine flu death

"I know what you are probably thinking. Hard it may seem, reality is so visible so much so that it may send quivers to our spine. Swine flu virus is lurking to its course like a wolf hunting for its prey. Let's shield ourselves. We know what to do. We all need strong resistance much more for our children. And oh, listen to our instincts too."

Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Kuwait’s Ministry of Health on Wednesday confirmed a fourth death from swine flu - a non-Kuwaiti child aged two.

The child, who died Wednesday morning, had been admitted to a children’s hospital on Tuesday for other health issues, including a 'nutritional imbalance'. The young girl was subsequently put in isolation.

According to the World Health Organization, segments of society most prone to the H1N1 virus include children under the age of five, pregnant women, the elderly, obese individuals, people affected by chronic illnesses and individuals with weak immune systems.

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Kuwait confirms third swine flu death

"Here's hoping for infected AH1N1 patients to recover well in spite of conditions that might complicate their health."

25 August 2009
A Kuwaiti man infected with swine flu has died, bringing number of related deaths in the Gulf country to three.

Ministry of Health spokesman Dr Youssef Al-Nisf said the man, who died in the intensive care unit, also had very acute respiratory infections and obesity.

Al-Nisf added that the citizen was admitted to the hospital on August 17, where he was isolated and subjected to anti-viral treatment, KUNA News Agency reported.

This is the third swine-flu related case of death in Kuwait while the number of infected cases stands at 1,072.

Source here:

Kuwait confirms 2nd swine flu death

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"Sad to learn about the news lately but if not for other health conditions and complications especially respiratory infection, it wouldn't result to death."

22 August 2009
Kuwait's Health Ministry on Saturday confirmed a second death from swine flu.

Ministry spokesman Dr. Yousif Al-Nisf told KUNA that the woman, in her 20s, had a respiratory system infection in addition to being infected with the H1N1 virus.

The woman was in her eighth month of pregnancy and had a caesarean section operation carried out after being admitted to hospital on August 12.

The official also confirmed the number of infected cases now stands at 1,072, the vast majority of which have been described as mild.

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Kuwait health chiefs confirm first swine flu death

"Hope everyone does a good health care for themselves and their families."

20 August 2009
Kuwait has reported its first swine flu death, health chiefs confirmed.

A young man who was already suffering from severe pneumonia has died from the H1N1 virus, the first person in the country to succumb to the disease, Health Ministry spokesman Youssef Al-Nisf said.

The victim was Kuwaiti and aged in his twenties, KUNA News Agency reported.

More than 900 people have contracted the H1N1 virus in Kuwait but most of them have been treated and discharged from hospital, officials said.

Source here:

GCC Flu Meeting held in Kuwait/ ‘99pc Kuwait’s swine flu cases have recovered’

"A good assurance for all by Kuwait's minister of health - Dr. Hilal Al-Sayer stressed that the percentage of recovery from swine flu disease in Kuwait has exceeded 99 percent. He underlined that fatalities from seasonal flu outbreaks far exceed current fatality rates from the swine flu."

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15, (Agencies): Kuwait’s minister of Health Dr Hilal Al-Sayer affirmed on Saturday that the extraordinary GCC meeting on the swine flu was an apt opportunity to compare notes with neighboring countries on ways of preventing the spread of this disease. Speaking to reporters following the meeting, he said that the percentage of recovery from this disease in Kuwait has exceeded 99 percent, noting that the swine flu is not posing an unusually great threat in the area. He underlined that fatalities from seasonal flu outbreaks far exceed current fatality rates from the swine flu. About the meeting, Dr Al-Sayer said GCC ministers of Health discussed the latest on the swine flu and ways of enhancing the exchange of health information by GCC states. He said the ministers also reviewed what precautions to take ahead of the start of the school year in view of the spread of the swine flu in the area. On the sidelines of today’s meeting, executive director of the office for GCC ministers of health Tawfiq Khoja told KUNA that in view of the fact that the swine flu is progressively spreading in the region, it behoved officials to review precautionary measures including coordination with regional and international health organizations to check the spread of this disease.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health is planning to exclude pilgrims under unlicensed Hajj caravans from the H1N1 swine flu vaccination which is expected to begin by September, 2009, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily. Moreover, the Ministry of Health, in coordination with concerned authorities, will investigate unlicensed Hajj caravans, in an effort to safeguard the health of the pilgrims. In a related incident, an estimated 45,000 swine flu vaccines are expected in the country by next month. Sources said manufacturing companies do not provide large quantity of the vaccines at a time. Spanish newspapers splashed photos on Saturday of the health minister failing to practice her own advice to avoid kissing in an H1N1 flu awareness campaign. The front pages of El Mundo and another national newspaper featured pictures of Trinidad Jimenez kissing news conference assistants twice on the cheek before she went on to warn against kissing as a way to prevent the spread of the H1N1 flu virus.

Jimenez’s health campaign, launched on Friday, recommended measures such as washing hands frequently, using tissues when sneezing or coughing and avoiding kissing and sharing glasses. The news conference was held hours before the virus claimed its eleventh victim in the country, a 31-year-old woman.

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MoH ‘urged’ to provide face masks to students, teachers

"Face mask though should be worn only once and properly disposed of to prevent spread of contamination. I am crossing my fingers that swine flu wouldn't become pandemic in case, schools are considered to close by MOE."

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 14: Ministry of Education (MoE) Undersecretary Tomadher Al-Sedarawi has asked the Ministry of Health (MoH) to distribute face masks to students and teachers at the start of the new academic year to prevent further spread of swine flu, reports Al-Anba daily. Indicating she expects MoH to equip 120 school clinics - 20 in each educational zone - with the necessary tools to combat swine flu, Al-Sedarawi asked the ministry to provide the required equipment and certain number of nurses by companies contracted to render such services. She also confirmed plans to use theaters and sports halls in schools located near the hospitals and clinics as shelters for infected persons, in coordination with MoH and Voluntary Work Center, which is currently headed by Sheikha Amthal Al-Ahmad. She said MoE has asked the Union of Private Schools to appoint a communications officer, who will coordinate with the team tasked to control swine flu in case of an outbreak in schools.

Al-Sedarawi disclosed MoE has also reached an agreement with the Cooperative Societies Union to provide cleaning items to schools, as part of its plan to launch a cleanliness campaign at the beginning of the new school year. She said the ministry will ensure that the schools are cleaned frequently, especially the tables to prevent any contamination. Affirming an emergency hotline will be provided for schools to immediately report swine flu cases to the health centers, Al-Sedarawi ruled out the possibility of postponing the opening of the new academic year as the ministry is keen on taking the necessary precautionary measures, along with its health counterpart, to protect the health of students, teachers and administrative staff. Revealing the ministry has started taking steps to accommodate more than 185,000 students in the next academic year, Al- Sedarawi explained the campaign includes Arabic schools and talks have also started on the possibility of providing MoE with vaccines, although the expected quantity is very minimal.

Asserting MoE will always consider the suggestions of its health counterpart to prevent the spread of swine flu, Al-Sedarawi admitted “we might consider closing down schools in case of a pandemic.” She also vowed to coordinate with other concerned officials to look into the possibility of reducing time allocated for the morning assembly to avoid crowds in schools. Commenting on Al-Sedarawi’s request to provide schools with face masks, Public Health Department Manager Dr Rashid Al-Owais pointed out this mechanism has been proven effective in other parts of the world. He clarified only doctors and nurses looking after infected patients are required to wear these masks. Confirming that MoH will provide school clinics with face masks and protective gear, stated Kuwait has ordered 45,000 vaccination injections, which will be delivered in October. Meanwhile, Chairman of Private Schools Union Omar Al-Ghareer asked MoE to coordinate closely with the cooperative societies for the supply of cleaning items at the beginning of the school year. He also urged owners of private schools to prepare quarantine rooms for suspected swine flu cases in schools prior to their transfer to the Infectious Diseases Hospital.

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**STARTLING NEW EVIDENCE THAT 'SWINE FLU' PANDEMIC IS MAN-MADE

"We are in the dog days of summer and so is this swine flu scare. This article is another controversial issue for me. Is swine flu pandemic man-made? I know, I am not in a position to judge. I just want to share this with you before I hit the sack. Well, do you count your chickens before they hatch?"

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Panel to discuss suspension of classes over ‘swine flu threat’

"Be aware. School children and teenagers are the vulnerable ones."

KUWAIT CITY, July 31: Manager of Epidemic Control Department at the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Rapporteur of the Joint Higher Committee for Swine Flu Control Dr Musab Al-Saleh has revealed the higher and technical committees will discuss in its next meeting a proposal to suspend classes if the number of swine flu cases in the country escalates to an unprecedented level at the start of the new academic year, reports Al-Dar daily. Clarifying the Ministry of Education (MoE) is not ruling out the possibility of suspending classes as the situation is expected to get worse, Al-Saleh stressed the MoH is ready to face any possible outbreak in schools. He said the ministry has tightened measures at the entry points to monitor the health condition of those who will return from their summer holidays abroad, affirming employees assigned at the entry points have been instructed to postpone their holidays. He added the government has allocated a budget of KD 5 million for combating swine flu.

From source: