Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Joy St. John??(FP)??

Barbados has recorded its second death in an adult who has been confirmed as positive for Influenza A (H1N1). Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Joy St. John, revealed this today and noted that, like the first person who died after contracting the illness, "this individual also had underlying medical conditions".

Dr. St. John expressed sympathy to the family of the bereaved and again called on persons, who have been "experiencing flu-like symptoms, like fever with a cough or sore throat, to desist from going to work or school until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication".

She reiterated that most persons suffering from influenza would experience only mild illness and should recover within 3 to 5 days without the need for medical attention.

Such persons, she said, could take over-the-counter medication such as Panadol, Paracetamol or Tylenol for relief of symptoms and may not need to see a doctor.??

On the other hand, the CMO pointed out, "if someone’s symptoms are prolonged or severe, or if persons fall into a high risk category, they will need to seek prompt medical attention, to allow for appropriate treatment to be prescribed."

She has urged the public to continue to practise good, basic hygiene as the country seeks to weather this wave of reported cases of Influenza A (H1N1). ??Since June of this year, Barbados has had 114 confirmed cases of Influenza A (H1N1), including the two deaths.

Pin It on Pinterest