BELGIUM: THREE MORE H1N1-RELATED DEATHS REPORTED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001400 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFLU AEMR ASEC AMED CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL, PINR, AMGT, TF, BE SUBJECT: BELGIUM: THREE MORE H1N1-RELATED DEATHS REPORTED THROUGH OCTOBER 19; RAPID OCTOBER INCREASE IN H1N1 CASES BRINGS TOTAL TO ABOVE 20,000 REFS: A) BRUSSELS 1347; B) BRUSSELS 1055 BRUSSELS 00001400 001.2 OF 002 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. Three more Belgians have died in mid-October from the A/H1N1 virus, bringing the total of deaths related to the pandemic to five. Belgian health authorities announced on October 18 the death of a 43-year old man on October 15; his death closely followed that of a 5-year old boy on October 14, and a 37-year old woman on October 11. The man and child had known risk factors, the woman did not, according to the Government. Meanwhile, the number of estimated cases of H1N1 rose sharply the week of October 5 to 11, to 7,534 cases, bringing the total number of estimated positive cases in Belgium since the beginning of the outbreak in April 2009 to over 20,000. The Government began its voluntary H1N1 vaccination campaign on October 18, starting with the country's health-care workers in hospitals, and to be followed this week by general practitioners. When more vaccines become available in early November, the Government plans on vaccinating remaining healthcare workers not included initially (remaining nurses, home-care nurses, pharmacists), as well as at-risk groups (pregnant women, parents of children under six months, teachers and employees of child-care centers). End summary. Three More H1N1-related Deaths Bring Total to Five -------------- -------------- ¶2. On October 18, Belgium's Interministerial Influenza Commission (IIC),the coordinating entity of the Government regarding pandemic influenza, announced it had learned that day of the October 15 H1N1-related death of a 43-year man from Liege province (Wallonia). The man had an undisclosed underlying condition that placed him in an at-risk group for the virus. On October 14, after an emergency health-care team came to his residence, the man was admitted into a hospital with acute double pneumonia. His medical condition continued to worsen and he developed new complications. The country's Public Health Institute later confirmed the positive H1N1 test. ¶3. The IIC also announced October 16 that a 5-year old boy from Hainaut province (Wallonia region) who had multiple risk factors died on October 14 as a result of the A/H1N1 virus. The child first came down with a fever and respiratory difficulties on October 8; his health worsened and he was admitted to the hospital on October 9 and given antiviral medication. His situation continued to worsen, however. The country's Public Health Institute confirmed the positive H1N1 test on October 15. ¶4. On October 13, the IIC informed that the third Belgian death related to the A/H1N1 virus had taken place on October 11, of a 37-year old woman from Antwerp province who had no known risk factors linked to H1N1. The woman first began showing flu symptoms on September 26; her health continued to worsen and she was admitted to the hospital on October 3 with double pneumonia and at that time was put on an artificial respirator. The country's Public Health Institute confirmed the positive H1N1 test on October 13. Belgium's second H1N1 death occurred in early October (ref A),and that victim also had no known risk factors. The first fatality linked to H1N1 occurred at the end of July (ref B); that patient did have pre-existing medical conditions. Total Number of H1N1 Cases Jumps Above 20,000 -------------- ¶5. On October 16, the IIC also announced an estimated 7,534 new cases of the H1N1 virus in Belgium for the week of October 5 to 11, bringing the total number of estimated cases in Belgium since the H1N1 outbreak began in April 2009 to 20,100. There were an estimated 4,160 new cases of H1N1 in Belgium for the week of September 28 to October 4, and an estimated 1,792 positive cases the week of September 21-27. Belgium ceased testing individuals in July 2009, when the World Health Organization declared that H1N1 virus had reached the pandemic level, and since then has used its system for estimating positive cases, which relies on data based on cases of patients who visit the approximately 180 doctors who make up the national H1N1 network. ¶6. At the same time it announced the fourth H1N1-related death on October 16, the IIC indicated that while the number of positive cases was continuing to rise, the mortality rate BRUSSELS 00001400 002.2 OF 002 of H1N1 was normal for this period of the year. -------------- --- Belgium's Vaccination Campaign Starts October 18 -------------- --- ¶7. The Influenza Commission reported October 16 that the Government would begin the first phase of its vaccination campaign against the H1N1 pandemic flu starting October 18, with the delivery of vaccines to all Belgian hospitals. Doctors, nurses, interns, doctors-in-training and medical staff will be the first to receive the vaccine, on a voluntary basis. Later this week, Belgium's general practitioners will receive vaccines. These two groups of health care workers (the so-called 'first and second line' of health-care defenders) are being vaccinated first to ensure that the country's health-care system will be functional during a pandemic, and to prevent any transmission of the H1N1 virus by health-care workers to patients. As soon as sufficient stocks of the vaccine become available in early November, the second phase of the vaccination campaign will begin, to cover any remaining health-care professionals (including nurses, in-home nurses, pharmacists),and persons belonging to a group deemed especially at risk for the virus, such as pregnant woman in their second and thrd trimester of pregnancy, parents of childre less than six months old, teachers, and day-care providers. The ICC will be responsible for informing targeted groups about the practical aspects of the upcoming vaccination process. GUTMAN