Health

Swine flu measures will be revisited

The Minister of Health says there is enough antiviral drugs for the entire UAE population after WHO announces pandemic.

Tom Spender

June 12, 2009

ABU DHABI // Screening measures at airports to monitor arriving passengers for swine flu will be reviewed after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak a worldwide pandemic. In announcing the move yesterday, however, health officials stressed that checks already in place are fully protecting the public. The new Minister of Health, Dr Hanif Hassan, said the country had ordered enough of the antiviral drugs for the entire UAE population, which would be delivered by September. He added that there was enough Tamiflu and Relenza for emergency purposes. "There is no change in the measures that we took from the very beginning to ensure the safety of the general public and public health," he said after the meeting of the Higher Supervisory Committee held at the Crisis and Emergency Management Authority. TV and radio information campaigns also are being developed, the minister added. According to the state news agency, WAM, Dr Hassan added that the WHO's decision to raise the pandemic alert from level five to six was not unexpected and did not mean an increase in danger. The declaration came as the number of H1N1 virus cases climbed towards 30,000 in 74 countries across four continents. "This is only part of the picture. With few exceptions, countries with large numbers of cases are those with good surveillance and testing procedures in place," said Dr Margaret Chan, the WHO's director general. The UAE has one recorded case of swine flu, that of a man who last month returned from a visit to Canada carrying the virus. The man, who works as an ­academic at UAE University in Al Ain, was said to be recovering well. This month, Saudi Arabia confirmed its first case of the virus, in a Filipina nurse, while Kuwait said 18 US soldiers stationed in the emirate had been infected with swine flu. Representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Interior, emergency agencies and officials from all the airports in the country will review screening procedures next Sunday. Thermal-imaging cameras that can detect fever in passengers are being used at Abu Dhabi and Dubai International Airports. Sharjah International Airport also ordered two scanners last month. A TV and radio campaign will feature doctors offering information on the virus and how to tackle it, according to WAM. tspender@thenational.ae

At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

Three tips from La Perle's performers

1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.

2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.

3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.