The Dirección General de Epidemiología of the Mexican Health Department (http://www.dgepi.salud.gob.mx/) published encouraging news last Friday. There has been a steady decline in the number of cases of influenza reported and the numbers of deaths recorded since the outbreak started in April. In fact, the mortality rate has dropped to about zero over the last week.
Friday's report listed a total of 4,000 cases of Novel Influenza A (H1N1) in Mexico. Of these cases, only 80 people died, a mortality rate of 2%. World health officials have applauded Mexico's handling of the crisis. It appears that the harsh measures adopted by the government might have kept the virus from spreading and causing more harm.
The public health emergency did reveal some shortcomings in the ability of government officials to evaluate the actual threat and respond accordingly. As World Health Official Ties Boerma, director of health statistics, declared, "What worries us is that the majority of the developing countries don't have an operating system that can determine if the influenza A (H1N1) virus is present."
A first step would be to increase spending for health care and scientific research. While the Mexican economy ranks 13th worldwide according to the World Bank, it is last among the 30 countries of the Organization for Cooperation and Economic Development with regard to governmental spending on health care and technological research. Closing down Mexico City cost millions of dollars in lost income. Timely investment in hospitals and hi tech laboratories might have reduced that loss.
1 comment:
I think the Mexican government did a really great job by preventing the virus to spread, and I agree with the countries who applauded Mexico, because after all, they recognized the virus pretty quickly and started to fight it and take the necessary measures right away. I am very proud of Mexico and its government. Plus, we got two extra vacation weeks!
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