02. 11. 09. - 16:00

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02. 11. 09. - 16:00

Hospitals under quarantine to prevent spread of swine flu

Mediafax

All Romanian hospitals were under quarantine in order to prevent the spread of swine flu, health authorities announced today (Mon).

A total of 128 new cases of swine flu have been registered in the last 72 hours, bringing the total number to 555, with no fatalities.

Health Ministry Secretary of State Adrian Streinu-Cercel said the measure to place all hospitals under quarantine translated into fewer patient visits and fewer medical staff.

The ministry will start distributing anti-viral medicines to the infections diseases units at county hospitals and assign 6.4 million lei (27 million lei) to hospitals in areas hit by the new flu for the purchase of surgical masks and disinfectant.

Streinu-Cercel also said Romania had 400,000 doses of anti-viral medicine and would soon purchase another 1,375,000 doses.

He added the ministry had scrapped plans to buy one million doses of swine-flu vaccine  from foreign producers because they would have been ready only in the first quarter of 2010.

Romania will begin a vaccination campaign against swine flu on November 26/27 using vaccine produced by the Cantacuzino Institute.

The first 1.3 million doses will be given to medical staff and high school and university students in the eastern city of Iasi and capital city Bucharest.

Other doses of vaccine will be given to border police staff deployed mainly along Romania's border with Ukraine.

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