Jamaica : Gov't confirms two swine flu deaths since January

Article from Jamaica Observer, deaths linked to H1N1 (Swine Flu) has been detected :

" JAMAICA has recorded two deaths from the Influenza A (H1N1) since the start of the year, the Ministry of Health has confirmed.

According to the ministry, a woman who was confirmed with the illness died Sunday at the University Hospital of the West Indies. Her death followed that of a male patient at the Kingston Hospital in January.

The ministry said that as at May 21 there were eight confirmed cases of the Influenza A (H1N1) virus, popularly called the swine flu, among a total of 42 influenza cases. It warned that the region is still in the post-pandemic stage of the outbreak.

"The post-pandemic phase means that the Influenza A (H1N1) virus has taken on a behaviour and intensity similar to that of regular seasonal influenza viruses. It also means that in the coming years there could be sustained community transmission and localised outbreaks of the disease," the ministry said in a release.

"The Pan American Health Organisation recently advised that there have been outbreaks of Influenza A (H1N1) in a number of countries in the Region and sporadic cases in others since 2011," it added.

As a result the, the ministry is urging persons to "continue to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their family members from infection."