H1N1 Kills 3 in Yangon
By San Yamin Aung 19 June 2019
YANGON—Three people have died from the H1N1 influenza virus in Yangon and four others have been diagnosed with the disease, the Ministry of Health confirmed Wednesday.
The first death was a 29-year-old woman from Kawhmu Township, followed on June 17 by a 75-year-old man from Sanchaung Township and a 32-year-old man from Dagon Seikkan Township.
At a Wednesday evening press conference in Yangon, health officials said the seven confirmed cases came from a pool of 20 suspected patients.
The remaining four who contracted the H1N1 virus are receiving medical treatment at North Okkalapa Hospital, Insein Hospital and Yangon General Hospital, officials said.
“We have experienced [a serious outbreak] here in 2017. We would like to urge the public not to panic,” Dr. Tun Myint, head of Yangon Region’s Public Health Department, said at the press conference, adding that the ministry has taken necessary precautions for effective treatment.
To prevent exposure, officials encourage the public to cover their nose and mouth while sneezing and coughing, get sound sleep, drink plenty of water, wash their hands frequently and avoid going outside during very hot times of the day.
H1N1 has broken out annually since 2009. H1N1 flu symptoms are the same as seasonal flu, including cough, fever, sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue.
In 2017, 38 people died of the virus across Myanmar.
Note: This story was edited on June 21, 2019 to correct the number of deaths from H1N1 in Myanmar in 2017. The original version incorrectly stated that the death toll was 12.
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