Ever since the first case of A(H1N1) swine flu virus reported in April this year, there have been several cases of death accounted in the last few months together with hundreds of laboratory confirmed cases.
In one of the recent cases, a 34-year-old woman died on Nov 12, who was admitted to a hospital in the Marbella region.
The latest victim in Marbella was the sixth to die of the swine flu in Malaga province while according to press reports, the total number of death due to A(H1N1) virus has crossed 100 in Spain.
Some reports place it at 115 with a fear that it may go up in the days to come. Children aged 4 to 15 have been worst hit by this outbreak.
Spain’s health ministry has declared it an epidemic and launched an extensive vaccination programme with 37 million doses of the A(H1N1) flu vaccine.
Health authorities are trying to first cover the vulnerable sections including pregnant women, health workers, and those with common flu like symptoms or any other serious illness.
According to the Ministry of Health and Social Policy, the whole mainland with the exception of areas such as Balearics, Melilla and Ceuta is said to be seriously affected. So far, the total number of swine flu deaths amount to one-sixth of the number of people admitted to the intensive care with A(H1N1) infection.
Spain was the first European country to confirm a case of the virus. It is now planning to vaccinate at least 60 percent of the population with attention to the special risk groups. Meanwhile, the Spanish Minister of Health, Trinidad Jiménez has appealed all mothers-to-be to follow their gynaecologists’ instructions concerning the vaccination.
As far as Malaga is concerned, the first swine flu death in the province was reported on Sep 5, when a 77-year-old woman passed away with various health complications. And the second death from the A(H1N1) virus was confirmed on Sep 15, 2009 with the case of a 33-year-old Spanish woman.
Although the estimated infection rate is labelled around 91 per 100,000 people in Malaga, a high density of foreign visitors has pushed local authorities to be on high alert. Health officials are now circulating public health notices under the guidelines of World Health Organisation (WHO) through television and newspapers.
