A first suspect case of swine flu has been identified in Romania, Health minister Ion Bazac announced on Wednesday. "Suspicion stands at 99%" as test results have been sent to a London laboratory for the last confirmation. The presence of the A(H1N1) virus was confirmed by the Cantacuzino Institute as well, but international procedure claims that test results be sent to London for an official diagnosis.
UPDATE The patient and her two children, who had been hospitalised with symptoms of swine flu, left hospital on Wednesday afternoon, the director of the Matei Bals Institute, Adrian Streinu Cercel, announced. The woman's family, formed of four people including two children, had previously been isolated at the Institute. According to dr. Adrian Streinu Cercel, "her her children's health condition is good. Things are calm, so to say".
The suspect is a woman, aged 30, who lives in the United States and came from New York to Bucharest on May 23. Her health condition is currently good.
The epidemic alert system was activated to identify persons who had come into contact with the woman on Romanian territory, minister Bazac said. "We are collaborating with the Interior Ministry to identify the people the woman came in contact with", he said, adding that he hoped the treatment would lead to good results.
The Matei Bals Institute is prepared with all the necessary medication and no reason for concern exists, minister Bazac said, "hoping that there will be no other cases among the people the woman has contacted".
Ion Bazac recommended people concerned about possibly having flu to approach the closest institute of infectious diseases. Personal hygiene measures are of most importance, he said, warning that antiviral treatment is available only in infectious disease sections of health institutions. "This sort of flu is n
