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Matthew Vella
The global flu pandemic that is expected to strike in the next year will be affecting some 100,000 Maltese people, with the resultant effect of around 500 deaths, according to Health Minister Louis Deguara.
Deguara said the mortality rate which had been set by the World Health Organisation, put the number of deaths at 0.5 per cent of those affected by the flu, although he said the latest WHO communications pointed at a possible decrease in the mortality rate.
“The good news is that the mortality rate is bound to be much less than that,” Deguara told MaltaToday.
The British influenza pandemic contingency plan conservatively estimates the number of deaths at a rate of between 0.37 per cent and 2.5 per cent of those affected.
The minister said the action plan for the flu pandemic contemplates around 400 people will be needing hospitalisation over the five months that the pandemic will strike.
Problems related with overcrowding at St Luke’s hospital during the winter months might have to be countered by opening up new wards for flu patients at other hospitals.
“If we need more beds we are likely to use an entire ward at St Luke’s, but if the demand will be greater we will make use of the physiotherapy ward at Zammit Clapp hospital. The plan of action has considered these eventualities.”
Deguara said not all hospitalisations will be occurring all at once during the five months. “We’ll play it by ear as and when the situation arises.”
Louis Deguara announced on Friday that the country would be getting 350,000 doses of the vaccine for the pandemic strain when this will be developed after the pandemic strikes.
The government will also be following the WHO’s recommendations and stocking up on the antiviral Tamiflu for 25 per cent of the population.
MaltaToday had reported the government had still not stocked enough of the Tamiflu antiviral to arrive before the pandemic strikes within the next year, whilst countries all around the world have been rushing to stock the drug. The UK had already stockpiled 7.3 million doses by April.
As reported by this newspaper, the first batch of antivirals will arrive in Malta towards the end of this year, and the second batch next year.
More information is available on the influenza pandemic information line – 2132 4086 – available between Monday and Friday from 8am to 2pm.
matthew@newsworksltd.com
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