"The wave has started"

17 May 2010, 8:57 pm Swine flu

In Southern Germany, the number of swine flu cases is increasing dramatically. Experts warn that a wave of influenza will spread throughout Germany in the coming weeks.

The swine flu is spreading faster and faster in Germany. In the 43rd calendar week, 3075 people became newly ill, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced in Berlin on Monday. In the 42nd calendar week, the number of new cases was still at 1860. According to the RKI, a total of 29,907 cases of the new flu have been registered throughout Germany so far. "The wave has begun", said the president of the RKI, Joerg Hacker.

The head of the Institute of Virology at the University Hospital in Bonn, Prof. Christian Drosten, said that there is a drastic increase in the number of diseases in Southern Germany. He assumed that the wave from the south would sweep over Germany in a period of five to six weeks.

According to RKI figures, almost 7500 cases have been registered in Bavaria alone since the outbreak of the pandemic in April. Two people died of the infection in Bavaria.

Drosten made an urgent appeal to get vaccinated against swine flu. "The disease is a serious general viral infection, which causes much more severe side effects than anyone can imagine from the worst vaccine."

On Friday evening, a 48-year-old mother of four had died in the Bonn clinic as a result of a swine flu infection. She had no known pre-existing conditions that would explain the severe course of the disease.

RKI head Hacker admitted that the start of the mass vaccination against swine flu was slow. However, there are no official figures. He expects that the readiness to vaccinate will increase with increasing information about the campaign.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko called on the international community to provide emergency aid in the fight against swine flu. Yushchenko said that Ukraine could not counter the danger the virus poses to the country's "national security" on its own. The country's Ministry of Health said that 60 people had died from the flu and respiratory diseases so far.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan declared a health emergency. The government ordered the closure of all schools and kindergartens. They are not to resume operations for another three weeks.

Translated Version - Original here