Ministry issues health advisory for visitors to India

PUTRAJAYA: Those intending to visit India, especially children, the elderly and expectant women are advised to get the seasonal influenza vaccine for the swine flu or influenza A (H1N1) available in the market.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said those with chronic diseases pertaining to the lungs and heart, kidney disease and patients suffering from "immune-suppression" should also get the same vaccine before visiting India.
He said the vaccine could be obtained at private health facilities.
"If there are symptoms such as fever, runny nose, sore throat and cough, they are advised to seek treatment at health facilities," he said in a statement today.
He was responding to reports that the Indian Health Ministry confirmed a significant outbreak of the influenza A virus of the same type with the H1N1 pandemic that occurred in 2009.
In August 2010, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that the world was in the post-pandemic phase of H1N1 and United Nations agencies were no longer monitoring the H1N1 influenza infection specifically.
This is because the method of infection, signs of infection, risks of infection and complications due to influenza A are similar to seasonal influenza.
The seasonal influenza virus infection, including H1N1, is spread in the community via droplets when infected people cough or sneeze. – Bernama