“The sensitivity of parents when it comes to the H1N1 virus is of crucial importance. Teachers must inform both children and parents about the benefits of the vaccination. Group vaccinations have started in 16 countries, and 65 million people have been vaccinated so far. Test results of deaths suspected to stem from swine flu vaccinations have revealed that the deaths were not related to the vaccination,” Professor Gaye Usluer, a member of the Ministry of Health’s scientific board and the chairwoman of the Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Specialty Society of Turkey, said, stressing that about 7,000 people have died so far due to the H1N1 virus around the world according to World Health Organization (WHO) data.
She also added that individuals who received a vaccine prepared by a Canadian pharmaceutical company showed signs of an allergic reaction. The company announced that it had distributed the vaccination in Canada and recalled 150,000 doses.
Over 100 people have died in Turkey as a result of the pandemic, Usluer said, noting that the number of swine flu patients had increased drastically at the end of November. She added that the peak period for the disease had not yet arrived and that swine flu cases are expected to reach a peak in February, while April is expected to see the lowest number of cases.
The professor also noted that the 6 months to 24 years age group is at highest risk for swine flu. “Forty-six percent of those who died of swine flu are between 6 months and 24 years of age.”
While voicing concern about the H1N1 virus mutating, Usluer said the possibility of mutation always exist and that the WHO has detected a number of examples of mutations of swine flu virus in Brazil, China, Norway, Ukraine and the US.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry reported on Monday that the number of deaths caused by pandemic swine flu has reached to 195 across Turkey.
