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And while that’s the position from the Education Ministry this evening, most folks want to know the details. Who are those 9 cases of interest and where are they from? This morning, at a press briefing, Dr. Paul Edwards the focal point for the pandemic discussed the cases that have been sent abroad for testing.

Dr. Paul Edwards, Focal Point – Flu Pandemic
“When we look at our neighbours and the numbers continue to increase, it will continue to follow that progression. Our key messages are that individuals who present signs and symptoms compatible with flu, for them to access our health care services. Evidently we anticipate and there are some more cases. What is our plan is that today we hope to send off some more samples as well.”

Dr. Michael Pitts, Director of Health Services
“As we give out more information, more individuals are paying attention to whether or not they have flu like illness and they are coming to our institutions. So we expect countrywide more of this to be happening and then now the healthcare providers will screen through these and look and see whether or not you have any relevant case that we should investigate. The important thing yesterday is we have identified four cases of interests; one in San Pedro, one in Orange Walk, two in Belize City. For the two in Belize City one came out of the private sector and one out of the public sector, so you see it is the whole system we are looking and we will give that support for testing.”

Dr. Paul Edwards,
“Two factors are very important for us to share. When you look for something you find it and that is what the enhanced surveillance means and our message is for those who are presenting signs and symptoms, they will access and so we have to expect that there will be more cases of interest and we have the definitions that we will follow as well as for us to be cautious and understand clearly that not everybody who goes to the health care system will be swine flu. Remember while swine flu is here, all the other diseases continue to occur, especially when we talk about the seasonal flu and that is why its important for people to go so that the experts then can do that examination, get that critical information, and be able to separate and then go from there.”

Dr. Michael Pitts,
So in Orange Walk, I know for example the person visited Obregon, we are verifying whether or not they had any cases in Obregon, Mexico. If there are cases in that area and that person was in contact with a case there then that is a suspect case and then we will look very very closely with it. The person from San Pedro visited Chetumal and similarly from Belize City. So this is why it raised the level.”

Sources inform 7News that there is presently a limited supply of the swabs which are used to collect the samples. According to epidemiologist Ethan Gough while there is a limited supply it will not limit the number of samples sent abroad for testing.

Ethan Gough, Epidemiologist
“The amount of swabs we have isn’t limiting the amount of specimens that are being sent but we have specific criteria for who we get specimen from because we don’t want to swab everybody because the swabs are a limited resource at this time and we don’t want to waste the swabs by taking specimen from people who have regular influenza or who have some other respiratory infection that is not swine flu. It is only the cases of interest that fit criteria to elevate the level of suspicion. But in the meantime we are getting additional swabs.”

Dr. Paul Edwards,
“Swabs have been distributed countrywide and I know for a fact that Karl Heusner have fifty. If there is a need for more then what we’ll do is we’ll start pulling back from there but at the same time we have ordered already and we anticipate that those will come in shortly. That is not a limitation in relation to sending samples out. As well it must be critical for all of us to understand it is not everybody will be swabbed and sent away. It is only those cases that fit the definition and as we go and we start confirming, then what we do from an epidemiology standpoint is we look at our case definition and those individuals satisfying that criteria, we don’t have to send samples away for confirmation. Automatically if they fit that definition, they will be a part of.”