‘Normal’ seasonal spread of swine flu raises number of cases to 199

AMMAN — As of Wednesday, a total of 199 swine flu (H1N1) cases were registered nationwide, including five deaths, two of which were registered in Karak, according to Health Minister Saad Jaber.

Jaber, in a joint press conference with Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh, said that a patient with the H1N1 disease passed away at Al Bashir Hospital recently, bringing the death toll to five, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

H1N1 is a kind of seasonal flu that surfaces annually and is “treated effectively” by Jordanian medical care establishments, Jaber said.  

Jaber told  Petra that Karak, some 140km south of Amman, registered a total of 19 patients with swine flu as of Wednesday morning, 17 of whom have left hospital, while two are expected to be released by Thursday. 

The minister said that the rate of the disease’s spread is “normal for this time of year”, stressing that treatment is available and that the ministry is in direct contact with the World Health Organisation and other stakeholders to address the issue. 

Jaber said that he had headed a ministry team on a visit to Karak to follow up on “incorrect” claims spread on social media about the number of fatalities and cases. 

Also on Wednesday, the Education Ministry said that it is coordinating closely with the Health Ministry to address the seasonal flu, Petra reported.

The Health Ministry sent an official letter to the Minister of Education requesting him to not close public or private schools in case any student is diagnosed with the flu, the ministry said.  The Health Ministry recommended that students instead be given sick leave to receive treatment until they are fully recovered. 

Assistant Secretary General of the Ministry of Health Adnan Ishaq told The Jordan Times on Sunday that the flu is seasonal, most frequently occurring between November and March.

Ishaq noted that cases have been reported from around the Kingdom, which is normal, stressing that there is “no cause for alarm”.

He said that weather conditions throughout the winter play a “significant role” in spreading H1N1, noting that rain deters the spread of swine flu, whereas dry and cold weather conditions allow swine flu to spread, increasing the possibility of infection.