Bahrain Registers First Swine Flu Fatality

Manama, Bahrain-Bahrain registered on Sunday its first swine flu fatality , after a Southeast Asian lady in her thirties died at the state run Salmaniya Medical Complex(SMC).

According to sources, the woman is classified as an undocumented case as there were no records found on her by the authorities.

"The woman was kept on life support system and her condition worsened towards the evening. She had serious respiratory infection and was kept in isolation at the Intensive Care Unit(ICU) Dr. Mohammed Al Awadhi, SMC Chief Physician said in a statement.

The official further said the woman visited the SMC in critical condition. "She showed symptoms of the flu such as high fever, sore throat, headache and difficulty in breathing. The patient was transferred to the quarantine ward and was receiving treatment. Our team followed all the health procedures, but unfortunately all our attempts were unsuccessful" Al Awadhi said.

Health officials are investigating the source of the infection whether it originated from Bahrain or outside the country as the virus is spread globally, Al Awadhi explained.

Releasing details of the total number of H1N1 cases in the country, the top health officials said Bahrain registered over 200 cases, of which majority were quarantined and leading normal lives.

A Bahraini female is also said to be in critical condition and is on life support system at the SMC ICU unit .Sources confirmed yesterday that the Bahraini woman in her 50s contracted the flu from one of her relatives who returned from Iran.

An emergency committee is formed by health authorities which monitors all flu related cases and vigil at all entry points. There is no cure for the deadly virus, but health workers are using anti –viral drugs meant for avian flu. Thermal cameras are screening travelers at the Bahrain International Airport and at a special clinic set up at the King Fahad Causeway, which links Bahrain with the oil rich Saudi Arabia. Earlier this week, the Minister of Education, Dr. Majeed Al Nuaimi announced that the beginning of academic year in all public, private and pre-schools in the country to be postponed by five days. This he said was done to give parents and students more time, who will be returning after vacations to Bahrain, to avoid the spread to H1N1 in the island,

All the H1N1 cases are tested using the Rpt-PCR swine flu kits at health laboratories and are being quarantined and kept in isolation ward of the Ebrahim Khalil Kanoo health centre, in the capital Manama .

Pregnant women, elderly and people suffering from chronic diseases are among the high risk group to contract A/H1N1, as health authorities predict there could be more swine flu cases surfacing in the country in the coming months.

The ministry is also urging travelers who return from high risk countries or came in close contact with person coming from flu affected area to report to their nearest health centre. In addition, US military personnel and soldiers deployed in the island or coming from any high risk countries are undergoing tests at the US Naval base in Juffair here under the supervision of the health ministry.

The World Health Orgaisation(WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan warned on Saturday that the flu spreads four times faster than other viruses and 40 per cent of the fatalities are young adults in good health.World governments are still working to rein in the swine flu epidemic, which started in Mexico and spread to USA, New Zealand, Canada. Gulf countries that have so far registered deaths due to H1N1 virus are- Saudi Arabia( 19), Oman(9),Kuwait(4), Qatar and the United Arab Emirates( 1 case each).

Bahrain hosts the US Navy Fifth Fleet.

Sandeep Singh Grewal, is a journalist based in Bahrain.