Media inflating influenza situ in South

Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne while categorically dismissing media reports that the influenza outbreak in the South has claimed hundreds of lives said the disease was under control and the Health Ministry has ample stocks of medicine, medical equipment and medical staff to meet the challenge.

“The most prudent thing to do if a patient is detected with influenza, he or she should seek treatment at the nearest hospital and the medical staff will do the needful to manage the fever,” Dr. Senaratne added.

Meanwhile, eminent Epidemiologist and Director Health Promotion Bureau, Dr. Prabha Palihawadana told the media that proper management of the viral fever, safe health habits and isolation of patients from others were key to put an end to influenza as it was a highly infectious disease. Dr. Palihawadana who is also the former Director of the Government Epidemiology Unit said influenza virus contaminates the air when a patient with influenza coughs, sneezes, speaks loudly or even laughs, he or she releases contaminates air with virus.

“Therefore, a healthy person is prone to infection with the influenza virus, if not protective health advices are not followed. If you feel stiffness in breathing, pain in the chest or stomach, continuous vomiting and dizziness, you must immediately seek medical help,” she stressed. Dr. Palihawadana said children and infants must be protected in particular because their immune system gets weakened if infected with the influenza virus resulting the difficulty in sucking breast milk, drinking juice and liquid food, slow urine motion and peculiar behaviour. Infected Students must not attend school and always wear mask.