PJIAE is not taking the H1N1 virus lightly. Since the deadly swine flu
was first confirmed in Mexico and subsequently in the US in late April
2009 and worldwide measures were put into place to curb its spread, St.
Maarten has followed suit. At the airport a 'campaign' was put in place
to help curb the spread of the virus into the island.
Information flyers were distributed among arriving passengers and
personnel; hand sanitizing stations were set up in various locations
throughout the building, including the executive offices where PJIAE
employees work; in addition personnel were provided with portable
sanitizers. The airport company also stepped up the frequency of
cleaning the areas with high passenger traffic and asked airport
companies, including the cleaning contractors to implement other
preventive measures. Also an automated message is played every 15
minutes on the public address system, to raise awareness about the flu.
PJIAE also met with the airlines and handlers together with officials
from the Public Health Department; the airlines/handlers were informed
of the situation regarding the H1N1 virus and were given instructions as
what to do when they see a passenger showing signs of a 'flu' (coughing,
sneezing, feverish etc.). Motioning the passenger away from the rest of
the crowd, they are to stay at a certain distance (2 meters) from the
passenger and question him about his last trip, whether that included a
visit to Mexico or whether he had been in contact with anyone who may
have had the H1N1 virus. First Responders will then escort the passenger
to an isolated room until a doctor is called in. The airlines/handlers
were asked to supply PJIAE with the names of at least 2 employees who
can be contacted in case there is a suspected case of H1N1 virus.
“PJIAE advises the airport community to maintain high standards of
personal hygiene, such as washing hands frequently with soap and water,
especially after contact with respiratory secretions (e.g after sneezing
and coughing). Those who are unwell with respiratory illness should stay
at home and contact their home physician,” the airport company advised
in one of its bulletins. PJIAE has also charged its PJIAE-EMT (Emergency
Management Team) with the coordination of procedures put in place
against the H1N1 flu.
From a Government perspective the measures are spearheaded by the Sector
Public Health, Social Development & the Preventative Health Department,
which formally urged the Airport Community to be alert. “If persons are
observed with flu like symptoms travelling to or from the endemic
countries, have them contact a local physician and to implement
preventative measures. This global situation has been scaled up to a
phase 5 by the World Health Organization (WHO),” the Sector wrote in its
bulletin.
This upgrading called for the implementation of preventative measures
such as:
1. Washing Hands against germs. Wash with soap and water or clean
with alcohol-based hand cleaner/sanitizer. It is recommended that when
you wash your hands with soap and warm water that you wash it 15 to 20
seconds.
2. Persons should cover their mouths and nose with a tissue when
coughing or sneezing.
3. Dispose of used tissue properly in the waste basket.
4. Frequently disinfect hard useable surfaces such as door knobs,
counter tops, desks, phones, etc.
5. Avoid close contact with sick persons.
6. Persons who have flu-like symptoms should immediately contact
their general practitioner/physician.
7. Diagnosed persons should stay indoors and protect his/her
family & colleagues.”
ISLANDWIDE
By mid June St. Maarten had seven positive cases of the swine flu and
Government reemphasised the need for caution. 15 samples (12 from
American University of the Caribbean, AUC) had been sent up for testing;
three were negative and five were pending. Those affected include both
men and women between the ages of 20 and 40. No children were affected
and all patients were recovering. Six of the confirmed cases for St.
Maarten were localised to the American University of the Caribbean (AUC)
School of Medicine, and the other was a 40-year-old man who had just
returned to the island after visiting family members in Miami in the
United States. The man had returned to work before his diagnosis and had
been asked to remain at home; surveillance efforts and contact tracing
had begun among his work colleagues. Samples were taken from some of
them for testing.
“The unfolding situation with the H1N1 virus is no need for the
community to panic,” said Health Commissioner Hyacinth Richardson
AMERICAS
The number of H1N1 cases in the English-speaking Caribbean is near the
20 mark. The Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) said that the new
strain of the H1N1 virus has been identified in seven of its member
countries, with a total of 19 cases: Bahamas (2), Barbados (3), Bermuda
(2), Cayman Islands (2), Dominica (1), Jamaica (7) and Trinidad and
Tobago (2). There have also been five cases in Cuba. Throughout the
Americas there have been 45,402 confirmed cases of the virus.
There have been no deaths reported from any CAREC member countries but
one death was recorded in the Dominican Republic where a total of 91
cases have been confirmed. CAREC has urged countries to continue
enhanced surveillance for fever and respiratory illness.
Globally, 74 countries have officially reported 27,737 cases of the H1N1
infection, including 141 deaths. Most of the deaths have occurred in
Mexico, the epicenter of the epidemic.
Though there are indications that the UN may declare the first global
flu pandemic in 40 years -a disease is classed a pandemic when
transmission between humans becomes widespread in two regions of the
world- the World Health Organization (WHO) is not recommending any
travel restrictions related to the Pandemic.
