While much attention among local health care officials and practitioners understandably is focussed on zika and the norovirus these days, a story on Tuesday’s regional pages should not go unnoticed. Jamaican authorities reported the fourth death
there from H1N1 in less than a month.
Several years ago there was a global epidemic of what is also known as “swine flu.” However, it appeared the spread of the disease had been brought under control, at least until now.
Members of the so-called high-risk group such as the elderly and especially those who suffer from other illnesses are most in danger of being adversely impacted. Although one fatality regarded an 85-year-old person, the other three were a 49-year-old woman, a 50-year-old woman doctor and a 29-year-old expecting mother believed to have been carrying twins.
Whether this will lead to a new wave of H1N1 in the Caribbean remains to be seen, but the possibility certainly exists in light of the intense human traffic between Jamaica and other countries. While its origin has to do with pigs and there is no known export of Jamaican pork to St. Maarten, the virus actually is passed on by sick persons via droplets particularly when coughing or sneezing.
Also in this case observing proper hygiene practices and taking other preventive measures is strongly advised. Hopefully the problem won’t grow to the extent that the same kinds of mandatory sanitation at, for example, the island’s airport and cruise ship terminal implemented the last time around will be necessary again.
The image of people wearing mouth caps and surgical masks to prevent getting the disease is also probably not something anyone would want to see repeated, but one can’t ignore the fact that Jamaica is relatively close by and the threat is real.
