FLU TREATMENTS yesterday flew off the shelves as Cypriots stocked up on medications in light of a global pandemic.
Pharmacists’ Association president Nikos Nouris said the first people who had purchased the drugs were ones planning to travel abroad. However the treatment was not a preventative and should only be taken at the first onset of flu symptoms.
“And they shouldn’t be misused,” he said.
Government stocks currently have enough medication to treat just under eight per cent of the population in light of a pandemic and has already undertaken to order more.
Medical Association president Andreas Demetriou said people should practice good hygiene to avoid contracting the flu and to avoid crowded and confined areas, while Health Minister Christos Patsalides reiterated all measures were being taken and the ministry was in daily contact with the competent European health services.
Meanwhile the last of the 15 members of a Cypriot band which was touring in Mexico returned home last night. All were said to be in good health and had passed health checks at each airport stop on the return trip home.
Infectious disease specialist Chrystalla Hadjianastasiou who is handling the ministry’s special monitoring committee said there was no reason to stigmatise the band members and that they had been told to watch out for developing possible flu symptoms. She said they had taken all necessary protection and prevention measures and there was no cause for concern.
Nevertheless George Petrikos, a professor of pathology and infection at Athens University’s Medical School said if they band members developed symptoms they would have to be placed under observation and the remaining members would have to be informed. The ones with symptoms would then have to be confined for about a week to determine if they had contracted the virus, he said.
The Health Ministry also yesterday issued its first of daily announcements regarding the latest developments concerning ‘swine flu’ by 8am. The ministry said there had been four confirmed cases with 14 member states reporting 104 suspect cases.
The ministry said the European member states had also agreed to use the term ‘novel influenza virus’ to describe the new virus.
A telephone line will today be available from 8am to 5pm to answer questions from members of the public about the virus. The number to calls is 22784848.
The Cyprus Medical Association said it was ready to inform its members about what necessary measures to take to determine suspect cases and how to deal with confirmed cases. It also said it planned to organise a conference on ‘Swine Flu’ with guest speakers from Greece.
Meanwhile the British High Commission (BHC) yesterday issued a letter to all Britons living in Cyprus regarding the outbreak of ‘swine flu’ and the fears of a possible global human flu pandemic.
It said the Foreign and Commonwealth Office had been planning for such a scenario for some time, but stressed there “have been no reports of suspected cases in Cyprus”.
The High Commission urged Britons to visit www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/swine-flu and www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/staying-safe/health. The sites could be monitored for up-to-date information, the BHC said. Any changes to advice for British nationals in Cyprus and updates would appear on the BHC website.
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