Even Cyprus prepped for pandemic
Posted: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 10:52 AM
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By Tom Aspell, NBC News Correspondent
NICOSIA, Cyprus – On a small island like Cyprus, it's comforting to see the government hastening to reassure the population that there is no need to panic about swine flu and show precautions they have already taken to deal with a possible outbreak, even though officials have yet to diagnose single case here.
Cyprus depends on tourism and agriculture for its economic survival; a pandemic of swine flu would be disastrous for both sectors.
After the weekend news that swine flu had killed dozens of people in Mexico, and that cases had since been reported in the United States and Europe, the Cyprus Health Ministry convened an emergency meeting of microbiologists, epidemiologists and officials from pharmaceutical services to coordinate action and determine the readiness of emergency health services throughout the island.
"The fact that cases have been reported in Europe is worrying," said Health Minister Christos Patsalides. "This obliges everyone in Europe to increase their measures to deal with swine flu."
The Cyprus government informed staff and health services at Larnaca Airport and the island's seaports to be alert for arriving passengers who have visited countries where swine flu has been identified.
Officials are keeping an eye on the condition of 80 Cypriots who are currently visiting Mexico, including a 15-member dance troupe scheduled to return to the island later this week. According to the government, no Cypriots in Mexico have come down with any of the symptoms associated with swine flu. But a foreign ministry official has recommended that Cypriots avoid traveling to areas where the virus has appeared.
The island’s hospitals and pharmacies are well stocked with Tamiflu, an anti-viral drug which must be administered in the early stages of the virus to be effective.
"We have plenty of Tamiflu," said Athena Hadjicristodolou, a pharmacist in Nicosia, the island's capital. "But nobody is asking for it yet."
"Nobody is even talking about the swine flu scare yet. My husband and I discuss it, but only because I'm scheduled to make a trip to the United States soon. Now he doesn't want me to go."
