The government has its own Web site dedicated to the swine flu, www.grip.saglik. gov.tr/domuz-gribi-ik2.html, which issues a press release every day. In contrast to media reports, the tone of these notices is reassuring: “A Russian citizen who came from Russia, an Englishman who arrived from England and two Turkish citizens who came from Germany in addition to four other Turkish citizens, whose cases had previously been noted, have all been diagnosed with the pandemic H1N1. The aforementioned are all receiving treatment and responding well; those people who have come into contact with them are under observation. Including the aforementioned, the number of cases of swine flu in our country is 95.” (July 13, 2009). That figure had risen to more than 110 within less than a week after the statement. The media chose not to dwell on the fact that the new carriers were coming from abroad but focused on the fact that the number of cases had doubled in the last two weeks. Upon the discovery and spread of the H1N1 virus, Turkey installed 10 thermal cameras at various airports in April 2009, following WHO's preventative-measure suggestions. On the May 11 all 81 provincial governors were called to a meeting in Ankara, with Minister for Health Recep Akdağ to explore the issue and discuss precautionary measures. The first confirmed case of swine flu in Turkey was at Istanbul Atatürk Airport on May 16. Thermal imaging cameras identified the elevated temperatures of two passengers arriving from Amsterdam. They were immediately taken to the hospital, and authorities began trying to contact the other passengers. After the incident, the government introduced 17 more airport thermal cameras and also began to distribute heath forms asking passengers if they had contact with an infected person.
Despite the extra measures taken to stop the spread of the disease, by June 20 the 21st infected individual had been admitted to a hospital in Denizli. Up to this point, everyone who had contracted H1N1 had been a traveler coming from a country that had infected H1N1 individuals. Within 24 hours of this case, the Religious Affairs Directorate, released a statement stating that if the situation got worse the November 2009 pilgrimage to Mecca might be postponed for health and safety reasons. Subsequently, pilgrims have been instructed to take necessary precautions, and halal inoculations -- vaccines made without using pig products -- have been made available to those who want them. As reports came in of deaths in Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina, with the first cases in Cyprus and Bosnia and with 66 reported cases in Greece, Turkey placed thermal cameras on its land borders as well.
Even though the government issues warnings, the government also warns its citizens that mistakes can occur when dealing with this virus. On June 29 newspapers reported that hospital in Tekirdağ had quarantined and then released (prior to lab results) a young Turkish man on holiday from Australia who had checked in with flu symptoms. After his wife had tested negative for swine flu, the assumption was made that the husband was also uninfected, and both were discharged. After swabs, sent to Istanbul, returned with a positive result, there was a scramble to find the man. To make matters worse, the same hospital managed to release another infected patient only three days later. To add insult to “infection,” when newspaper reporters arrived to cover the story, they were physically assaulted by hospital security guards who tried to take their cameras. The provincial governor, Zübeyir Kemelek, said the events and personnel involved are under investigation.
On July 14 at a WHO press briefing Dr. Marie-Paule Kieny, the director of the Initiative for Vaccine Research, said, “The committee recognized that the H1N1 pandemic is unstoppable, and therefore all countries need access to a vaccine.” With the pandemic alert raised to Stage 6, perhaps the most interesting part of the story is the relatively low number of reported incidents in Turkey, with only 95 reported infections (and no fatalities) in a country with a population of over 70 million.
There may be several reasons for the lack of infected citizens. First, Turkey is currently in the summer season, and the flu is largely a seasonal illness with its worst effects in the winter. Some of the worst infected countries are south of the equator and currently experiencing winter. An additional factor in the low level of reported cases may be because people do not realize they have swine flu, as symptoms are often no more severe than the common cold. The last factor, which is purely speculative but may play an important role, is the liberal distribution of kolonya or, to give its English name, lemon cologne. This seemingly innocuous citrus perfume, which is offered to guests in private homes after they have eaten or drank and to all customers in restaurants as they are leaving, does not just have a pleasant aroma but is also 70 to 80 percent alcohol and thus a powerful disinfectant. Even though swine flu may have hurt many parts of the economy, it has had a positive effect for kolonya manufacturers.
Benzer Haberler 
National
