“It is highly probable that swine flu will reach Poland,” Adam Rapacki, deputy Minister of Interior and Administration informed Polish Radio, Monday morning.
Poland has already tightened security measures at Warsaw’s Okecie airport.
“Polish sanitary service, police and army are getting prepared to face a possible pandemic,” assured Adam Rapacki. A special pandemic committee is being set up in Poland on Monday, and will meet to work out plans for all institutions and services in case swine flu hits Poland. It will also designate quarantine places.
The Foreign Ministry has issued a warning to all Poles travelling to or from Mexico, the United States and Canada to exercise caution.
Authorities at Warsaw’s Chopin International Airport have intensified monitoring passengers arriving on flights from Mexico, Canada and the US. The travellers are being screened for symptoms. An information campaign has also been launched at the airport.
“Passengers are receiving leaflets on swine flu,” assures the Minister of Health Ewa Kopacz. “They are informed about how dangerous the disease is and are advised as to what steps to take if they discover swine flu symptoms.”
Ewa Kopacz claims that there is no need to vaccinate against the flu which appears to have originated in Mexico because the anti-flu vaccine available on the Polish market does not prevent this new strain of swine flu.
The health minister informs that potential swine flu patients will be treated at infectious diseases hospitals and wards and will be totally isolated from the rest of the patients.
The Swine flu virus is suspected of killing 103 people in Mexico, most of them young adults. In the US, 20 people were confirmed to have caught the virus. There are also confirmed cases in Canada.
Tomorrow World Health Organization experts will meet in Geneva to discuss whether to raise the pandemic alert level. (mg/pg)