Swine flu: Spanish situation 29-4-2009, last hour of the day

The Minister of Health, Trinidad Jimenez, has confirmed eight new cases of swine flu - 'new flu', according to the European authorities in our country: six in Catalonia, one in Castilla-La Mancha and the Basque Country, whose analysis have been positive. In total, 10 patients by the H1N1 virus in Spain, after the cases in Albacete and Valencia.

Of the ten cases, four of them have already been discharged, but remained under observation, said Jiménez in the Health Commission of the Congress of Deputies.

Everyone involved had recently traveled to Mexico, except a person in Catalonia and is the first infected in an indirect way possible in Spain. Councilor of the Catalan Health, Marina Geli, has confirmed that this is the partner of a person who recently visited that country.

Case study

Geli detailed contagious virus that is due to a contact "close and intimate," a type of transmission, according to the Councilor, "was expected", while not ruled out any further similar cases.

After the appearance of Jimenez, the Ministry of Health has detailed on its website that, in addition to 10 confirmed cases, 70 other patients suspected of being infected with swine influenza virus is the most affected regions Catalonia, Madrid, Andalusia and Valencia. For communities, the suspected cases are allocated as follows:

1. Valencia: 23 cases awaiting confirmation.
2. Andalusia: 15 cases awaiting confirmation.
3. Madrid: 13 cases awaiting confirmation.
4. Catalonia: 8 cases awaiting confirmation.
5. Castilla y Leon: 2 cases awaiting confirmation.
6. Galicia: 2 cases awaiting confirmation.
7. Murcia: 2 cases confirmed
8. Extremadura: 2 cases awaiting confirmation.
9. Asturias: 1 case pending confirmation.
10. Rioja 1 case pending confirmation.
11. Castilla-La Mancha: 1 case to be confirmed


The situation of these people, according to the minister stressed, "not serious" and is stable, since they are responding well to treatment. "We are better prepared than five years ago," Jimenez has stressed, recalling the existence of established protocols for avian influenza.

Trinidad Jimenez, who first appeared before the Committee on Health and Consumer Congress, upon their request and urgently wanted to convey a message from the citizens' security and confidence, "because the government has said is seized of the case "with measures".

He has stressed his interest to appear in parliament to expose "first hand" and with speed that the Executive is taking in Spain, according to state governments and international authorities.

International situation

"Our main goal has been to prepare for any situation," he insisted Jimenez, who also noted that "Spain has enough resources and medicines to tackle any eventuality.

The Minister of Health also has detailed data provided by early warning systems against epidemics, indicating that in Mexico there are 1995 possible cases being investigated, but clarified that they are all pictures of patients who have severe pneumonia, whereas in the rest of the world responds to any respiratory infection.

So, Jimenez noted that in United States, where he died on Wednesday the first affected by the disease, there are 64 confirmed cases, six in Canada, three in New Zealand, two in the United Kingdom, two in Israel and three more in Germany .

New name

As he had done the Ministry of Health, the minister also recalled that the European Commission considers that it should not be called a disease because the swine flu virus has not been detected in animals, which could be causing unnecessary damage to the sector pigs. Jimenez reiterated that the disease is not transmitted through food from the pork. "

The Commission considers it more appropriate to call it "new flu" in English, novel novel influenza or flu virus, to avoid a "disastrous and unjustified" in the pork industry, especially in the current period of crisis.

As highlighted at the meeting of the Scientific Committee of the National Executive Committee for the Prevention, Control and Monitoring of the epidemiological evolution of influenza virus yesterday it must remain vigilant and Spain is prepared to deal in If necessary, at later stages of the disease.