Israel - Health official: Panic over swine flu justified
An Israeli health official says the public panic
regarding mounting fears of a swine flu epidemic is "generally
justified."
More than 100 cases of swine flu have been diagnosed
since December, and several deaths have already been accorded to the disease.
Prof. Haim Bibi, pediatrics director at the Barzilai
Medical Center in Ashkelon, tried to calm the fears, saying that although there
were some mortalities, "the range of the disease is wide, and some suffer
more than others. It's not an easy disease but not everyone is gravely hurt.
"The few who do are mostly children who suffer
complications," he added.
Prof. Bibi further said that "if there is a high
fever, a lack of appetite and a general feeling of flu, it's better to be
examined. It's the unnecessary confusion which causes the great fear from swine
flu."
The Hadassah Mount Scopus and Ein Kerem medical centers
in Jerusalem diagnosed 11 patients with swine flu last week.
Some have already been released, and others are still
under care. The two hospitals said that since December they have diagnosed 105
cases of swine flu.
More have been diagnosed with swine flu around the
country and are in varying conditions.
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