Seven cases more add to the three detected yesterday Sunday

People affected stay in observation in different hospitals and their clincal picture is mild, presenting good evolution

The Ministry of Health closely follows the implantation of the measures of surveillance of swine flu in Catalonia, on the occasion of the appearance of cases of this disease in humans in Mexico and the United States

Until now the Ministry of Health has detected a total of ten suspicious cases of swine influenza in humans, in Catalonia. To the three suspicious cases of suffering this disease, which were detected yesterday Sunday, seven cases more that potentially could be affected by swine flu in humans are to be added. It is not ruled out that in the next hours suspicious cases may arise.

The ten possible cases correspond to six men and to four young women, aged 21 and 32, who have undergone in the last days mild respiratory symptoms, with cough, general fatigue and fever, and who have the antecedent of having come back from Mexico in the last week. All these people are under observation in different hospitals. Their clinical picture is mild and shows a good evolution. Samples have been collected for microbiological analyses to rule out cases of swine flu.

Persons potentially affected are admitted to the following hospitals: five patients in the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, one in the Hospital Universitari Doctor Josep Trueta of Girona, one in the Hospital de Campdevànol, one in the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, another in that of Granollers and one in Hospital Plató.

On the other hand, this morning, the Secretary of Strategy and Coordination of the Ministry of Health, Miquel Gómez, participates in the meeting of the National Executive Committee for the Prevention, Control and Monitoring of the Epidemiological Evolution of the Flu Virus, which has been summoned this morning in the headquarters of the Spanish Ministry of Health and Social Policy, to analyze the current situation and coordinate actions and measures that are being adopted.

All the cases under study have been identified as a result of the implementation last Friday evening of the protocol of surveillance and control of swine flu activated by the Ministry of Health in all the health centres of Catalonia, in accordance with the indications of the WHO, and in close coordination with the Spanish Ministry of Health and Social Policy and the autonomous communities.

These measures serve to the alert caused by the appearance of cases of swine flu A/H1N1 in the states of California and Texas, as well as to several areas of Mexico, and consist in identifying an epidemiological history of recent travels to Mexico in people presenting fever and acute respiratory symptoms and in collecting samples in case of a suspicious case of flu with history of travel to Mexico in the last 10 days. These measures are complementary to those adopted by the MSYPS for the Foreign Health services regarding travellers coming from the mentioned regions, including information and detection of possible cases.

It is reminded that individuals who have come back from Mexico in the last 10 days but who do not present any fever and respiratory pattern do not have to make anything. The rest of the general population living in Catalonia do not have to take any specific precaution either. In the case of individuals who plan on traveling to Mexico in the next days, it is recommended to follow the usual precautions of hygiene in the situations of flu, which are available in the web sites of the Ministry of Health and of the Spanish Ministry of Health and Social Policy.

Swine influenza is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by influenzavirus A, provoking frequently outbreaks of flu among these animals. Although, in general, swine influenza viruses do not infect humans, on some occasions cases of infections have occurred in individuals. Cases in humans are presented more often in people who have been in direct contact with pigs.

It should be pointed out that the transmission of the swine influenza virus, like those of the rest of flu viruses, occurs through the respiratory tract (from nasal or oral secretions) and that, under no circumstances it is transmitted through the digestive tract. Therefore, it is reminded that any type of food containing pork or its derived products can be eaten, since this does not entail any risk for the transmission of swine flu.

Health authorities of Catalonia are in constant touch with the MSYPS, to up date information on the situation under study in the United States and Mexico, and to make the follow-up of the results that may arise and of new actions that may eventually recommend the WHO.

Should you have any doubt, please call Sanitat Respon (902 111 444), which since last Friday 24 April a total of 132 calls of individuals asking for information on swine flu in humans were received.