HEALTH MINISTER Christos Patsalides said yesterday the new cases of swine flu in Europe were “worrying”, noting however that Cyprus was ready to tackle any possible case on the island.
Speaking after an extraordinary meeting held yesterday to discuss the swine flu outbreak which has killed 149 in Mexico, Patsalides said: “The fact that cases have been confirmed in Europe is worrying.”
“This obliges everyone in Europe to increase their measures,” he added.
The special meeting, chaired by Patsalides, included microbiologists, epidemiologists, officials from the Health and Pharmaceutical Services and members of the Cyprus Medical Council, was called to discuss the measures taken in Europe and on a national level regarding the mutating form of swine influenza.
The minister announced the setting up of a special committee, headed by Chrystalla Hadjianastasiou, to handle, monitor and coordinate action, while another meeting will be held today to examine the degree of readiness of the Ministry’s services.
Patsalides advised against panic, highlighting that the government was handling the potential crisis in a calm and responsible manner. He noted that measures were taken to inform the staff and health services at the airports, concerning passengers who have visited countries in which cases of swine influenza have been determined.
He added that hospitals have been briefed and are ready to treat any case of swine influenza and isolate it, while pharmaceutical stocks had been checked.
Patsalides highlighted that “there is no reason for panic”. He pointed out that Cyprus was “in direct co-operation and coordination” with the EU, and that teleconferences had been organised with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and the World Health Organisation.
The minister will also be participating in the extraordinary EU Health Ministers Council on Thursday to discuss the EU response to the swine flu, which Patsalides said last night will probably be given a new name, due to its mutations from bird, swine and human flu.
Eighty Cypriots are currently visiting Mexico, including a 15-member dance group due to return to Cyprus on Thursday.
Asked about the Cypriots returning to Cyprus from Mexico, Patsalides warned against stigmatising the travellers.
“We must be very careful and discreet,” he said, adding that from information gathered so far, no Cypriots in Mexico have come down with any worrying symptoms.
Savvas Vladimiros, the Cypriot Consul in Mexico, told the state broadcaster yesterday that Cypriots in Mexico were advised to stay at home and avoid public spaces, while face masks were distributed where possible.
A Foreign Ministry official, Phaedon Anastasiou, recommended that Cypriots avoid travelling to areas where the virus has appeared, though no travel advice was posted on the ministry website as of last night.
EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou, who advised against non-essential travel to Mexico and the US, told CyBC last night that she was meeting with large pharmaceutical companies tomorrow to see what supplies are in stock, and how long they need to create a vaccine for the mutated virus.
According to lung specialists, it would take up to six months to create a new vaccine.
