H1N1 spreading rapidly: six patients quarantined

While the number of patients is still relatively low in Croatia, Serbia is bracing itself for the next year’s pandemic.

According to the Institute for Public Health of Lika-Senj County, swine flu virus has been identified in Gospic, where it was diagnosed in the sample of preschool children.

Of the 15 reported cases, six patients were confirmed to suffer from H1N1 virus and they were quarantined. The exact number of patients is not known yet and estimates are based on the test results, as well as reports from the physicians.

Only one patient in Croatia has died from swine flu, but infectious diseases department in Zagreb is currently trying to save the lives of four men. The lives of the four patients are threatened and they are breathing with a help of respiratory machines. However, hospitals are unnecessarily  full of patients who are worried about swine flu since a common, seasonal flu has very similar symptoms.

In just one day, the hospital is visited by 200 patients with swine flu symptoms

Only in Zagreb, infectious hospital examines around 200 people every day, but doctors warn citizens that there is no room for panic.

Those patients who have fever are advised to use a regular flu medicine, drink large quantities of liquids and rest until they get over the disease. In addition, patients are advised to avoid using public transportation and to wash their hands frequently.

Serbia prepares for pandemic

Physicians should be contacted only if severe complications arise, that is, if a person begins to breathe heavily or if the disease gets unusually difficult.

In the neighboring Serbia, the wider epidemic has been spreading for weeks, and two people day died only yesterday.

Branislav Tiodorović, a member of the Group for Prevention of pandemic, said that in the case of state-wide epidemic, all the prevention measures would be taken and that the public should brace itself for the real pandemic; which is expected to hit in the February, Blic reports.