Specialist clinic Gaißach evacuated because of swine flu

Swine flu: Specialist clinic will be fully evacuated by Wednesday

01/02/2011

After a ten-year-old boy became infected with swine flu during a course of treatment in the specialist clinic in Gaißach and died as a result of the illness, the hospital was evacuated for the time being.

During a spa stay because of obesity in the specialist clinic Gaißach, the ten-year-old had been infected with swine flu and had died from the consequences of the disease. Two other patients have also contracted swine flu in the meantime, so those responsible have decided to avoid further infections to evacuate the clinic. By Wednesday, all patients are expected to leave the specialist clinic Gaißach.

Path of infection in the clinic so far unclear
In the last few days, although there had been no further infections with the H1N1 virus, but as a precaution, the clinic is still evacuated, said Carl-Peter Bauer, medical director of the specialist clinic Gaißach. Until Wednesday, all patients still in the clinic will cancel their stay and leave, Bauer continued. How and where exactly the ten-year-old boy got infected with the H1N1 pathogen is still unclear. Even with the other two patients who subsequently also fell ill with swine flu, the infection route is not yet clear. However, the illness has taken a more harmless course and they are now already at home, reports the medical director of the specialist clinic. Actually, the incubation period since the last occurrence of a new infection has already been exceeded, but it will take some time until the clinic is back on track, explained Carl-Peter Bauer.

Swine flu: Young people particularly affected
Currently, the numbers of deaths from swine flu are increasing. So last Thursday, a nine-year-old girl died in Berlin as a result of a swine flu infection. Although the number of deaths in this year's flu season (seven since October 2010) is not unusually high, the disproportionately high proportion of young people is tragic. With them, an H1N1 infection often takes a particularly severe course, which can be quite fatal. Children are not only the main carriers of the H1N1 pathogen, but also tend to have a more severe disease course. According to estimates by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) Working Group on Influenza, the seasonal flu epidemic is currently at its peak, so not only should the little ones pay more attention to a few simple rules to protect themselves from infection. In addition to sufficient vitamins to build up the defense abilities, above all, compliance with certain hygiene standards is required. Regular hand washing can make an essential contribution to minimizing the risk of transmission for yourself and others. (Fp)

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