http://www2.polskieradio.pl/eo/dokument.aspx?iid=119259
Seasonal flu count up two-fold
04.11.2009
Over 10,000 people in Poland have the seasonal flu, twice as many as were registered at this time one year ago, the last week in October.
The National Health Institute's figures show that between the 23-31 October, 10,613 people are ill with influenza in Poland and the majority of these people are in the Mazowsze area around Warsaw. For the same time period in 2008, only 4,305 cases of flu were registered.
From 16-22 October this year, about 7,727 people were known to have the flu.
Tomasz Misztal of the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate office (GIS) says that the reason for the significant growth in flu cases is because the season has started earlier. “The weather is partly to blame. We expected something like this, so we are not surprised.” added Misztal.
According to GIS figures, 185 people in Poland have been diagnosed with A/H1N1 visrus more commonly known as swine flu.
GIS urges people to wash hands often, to regularly change undergarments, to air-out one's home and to avoid kissing in order to lessen chances of catching the flu from others. (mmj)