by TRACY MOORE

WITH SOME DOCTORS SAYING Barbadians are becoming more anxious about contracting the Influenza A H1N1 virus, Chief Medical Officer Dr Joy St John revealed there have been almost 50 suspected cases here since the end of April.

Speaking at a Press conference yesterday at the Ministry of Health's headquarters in Jemmotts Lane, St Michael, to bring the country up-to-date in light of the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring the virus a pandemic on Thursday, St John said there were no confirmatory results on the 46 cases to date.

At that briefing too, Minister of Health Donville Inniss said cruise ships could be stopped from docking at the Bridgetown Port if there were more than five people onboard with any infectious disease, including H1N1 which has claimed more than 100 lives worldwide.

He however anticipated that the imminent Crop-Over Festival would not be threatened by the virus, but urged revellers to follow the hygiene measures outlined by the ministry.

St John told the media that since April 27 to the present, there had been 46 suspected cases. "Three suspected cases have been hospitalised, two . . . are presently being hospitalised, but none of the three that have been confirmed [were in hospital]."

She continued: "We have several preliminary results, most of which do not indicate that the suspected cases are even Influenza A, which is the family to the seasonal influenza and the new H1N1 influenza here.

"But these are screening tests, they are not confirmatory tests. We are awaiting confirmatory tests from [the Trinidad and Tobago-based] Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) but to date we have only had three positive cases, who have all remained well and not needing hospitalisation," she added.

St John said ten people were given Tamiflu (the prescribed drug for H1N1), including the five who were hospitalised, and five others who were treated as out-patients.

"Presently there is limited transmission. Outstanding results from CAREC will confirm if there is in-country transmission. No confirmatory test are yet available on 25 samples. We are awaiting those confirmatory tests," she told the Press.

Asked if there was any concern that those suspected cases could have already spread throughout the country, she replied: "We started detecting cases and confirmation last week, but it does not mean that we have not had persons who could have contracted the H1N1 virus moving around in the country before we detected.

"We should not focus on the ones who have presented to us and have allowed us to know that there is a possibility that they have H1N1; that is why from the start we have been focusing on hygiene measures. If you are ill, do not circulate. Seek attention and get advice as soon as possible. We have been telling everybody practise good hygiene . . . because anyone could be someone of concern," she said.

Specific to the three confirmed cases, who had no travel history, St John said their symptoms were mild, meaning they had flu symptoms but did not require hospitalisation.

She said their "no travel history" meant they did not travel to any of the "affected countries . . . but it did not mean that they did not come into contact with someone who travelled".

She also dismissed any rumours that any of the three confirmed cases had contact with each other.

However, the chief issued a warning to those most vulnerable to the H1N1 virus.

"Those who are vulnerable are those with underlying conditions - females who are pregnant, persons with certain chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and even obesity which has been flagged by the WHO's director general Dr Margaret Chan as an underlying condition of concern, and anything that can affect the immune system.

"We want to make those with underlying conditions aware of the dangers so that they will seek attention, appropriately and quickly," said St John.

She urged those with mild symptoms to seek medical attention immediately if they worsened.

Meantime, prominent physician Dr Adrian Lorde was one of those reporting an increase in anxiety by some Barbadians about catching the virus. He added people with upper respiratory tract infections "not nearly related to the virus" were flocking to his office, and in some cases being sent by co-workers.