'Influenza A (H1N1) twist unexpected': outgoing health minister
ROC Central News Agency
2009/08/04 13:22:12
By Deborah Kuo
Taipei, Aug. 4 (CNA) The outbreak of new swine flu, or influenza A (H1N1), has unfolded in an unpredictable way and not as originally expected, outgoing Department of Health (DOH) Minister Yeh Ching-chuan said Tuesday.
Unlike seasonal flu, which usually strikes mostly vulnerable targets such as the elderly and children during winter months, the H1N1 strain has affected people around the globe much earlier, with the majority of patients young people or individuals in their prime, Yeh said.
Yeh made the comments at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, before boarding a flight to Hong Kong to take part in the 5th Taiwan-Hong Kong Forum at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center Wednesday.
He said he and three other Taiwanese specialists will meet with top health authorities in Hong Kong at the forum to exchange views on preparedness in the face of the regional spread of the H1N1 flu virus strain.
Because Taiwan's H1N1 cluster infections only recently emerged, and there have been few cases of the H3N2 strain, Yeh said Taiwan can learn from Hong Kong's experience.
"We will take this opportunity to better understand how Hong Kong is treating and testing for the flu to have as a reference for future prevention efforts in Taiwan," he said.
Yeh and the three specialists -- Huang Kun-chang, CEO of the DOH Hospital Administration Commission, Chen Wen-chung, superintendent of Taoyuan General Hospital and Chang Shang-chun, deputy superintendent of National Taiwan University Hospital -- will meet with York Chow, Hong Kong's food and health secretary, and other ranking Hong Kong health officials during their stay in the former British territory.
The meeting will mark the first time that Taiwan and Hong Kong officials will openly discuss cooperation in epidemic prevention.
Yeh, who is making a bid to run in the year-end magisterial elections on the ruling Kuomintang's (KMT's) ticket in Hualien County, resigned Monday. Premier Liu Chao-shiuan approved his resignation, which will take effect from Aug. 6.
His resignation, which comes at a time when the country is gripped by mounting fears over a possible swine flu epidemic, has drawn criticism from lawmakers of both the ruling and opposition parties.
On the question of his successor, Yeh said at the airport that it would be the right and responsibility of the premier to make the decision.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
