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An overall look at HPA’s viral flu statistics

Fathmath Shaahunaz
26 March 2017, MVT 16:54
HPA's statistics on the viral flu and swine flu epidemic in the Maldives. PHOTO/HPA
Fathmath Shaahunaz
26 March 2017, MVT 16:54

Public concern has skyrocketed over the past fortnight since the state officially announced that swine flu cases have been confirmed amongst the viral flu epidemic spreading across the archipelago. The anxiety rampant amongst the community finally reached its peak on Sunday as countless parents refused to send their children to school despite the government reopening schools. One must question if this is the result of public fear exceeding the true situation at hand.

A close look at the regular reports on the flu epidemic released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) garners an overall perspective on the situation all across the country. The statistics show the changes over time to the amount of people that sought doctors’ consultations for flu and the number that tested positive for the H1N1 virus.

At the time when HPA first began publishing the reports on March 14, over 1,000 people sought treatment for flu daily in the atolls with the exception of capital Male. According to the latest reports, the numbers have since dropped to around 300. For Male, the numbers have dropped from nearly 1,000 to 250. The total number of people reported for flu was over 2,000 in the beginning, but the amount has decreased by around half.

The greatest cause for concern is the spread of swine flu amongst the viral flu and common cold. According to HPA, total 501 people suspected of having the H1N1 virus were tested since last January out of which 185 tested positive. To date, five people have died of swine flu.

Based on the last nine reports released by HPA, an average of 24 people take the test for swine flu daily. An average of 11 test positive while the highest count was recorded in the latest report with 24 people testing positive within a day.

The amount of people reporting flu symptoms have significantly declined while the number being tested for swine flu are maintained around the same level. The statistics also indicate that greater awareness has been raised on the difference between the common cold and swine flu.

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