WHO Calms Swine Flu Resistance Fears

There have been a few cases of Tamiflu-resistant swine flu

Officials from the World Health Organisation have taken steps to calm fears that the swine influenza virus has become resistant to the medication Tamiflu. Maria Teresa Cerqueira who is the boss of the United States-Mexico regional border office of the WHO explained that they had not come across any cases of viral resistance on the US-Mexican border.

Much of the concern surrounded a report from the Agence France-Presse which stated that a specific Tamiflu-resistant virus strain was emerging around the El Paso region and close to McAllen in Texas. Ms Cerqueira said that comments she had made previously had been taken out of context and misinterpreted, and that all she had done was suggest that influenza surveillance around the border area was important because of the movement of people and medicines. 

There have been a few cases of Tamiflu-resistant swine flu in Hong Kong, Canada, Denmark and Japan. So far it is estimated that over 130,000 people have been infected with the swine flu virus and it has caused over 800 deaths worldwide according to official World Health Organization statistics.

Tamiflu which is made by the drug company Roche is still the number one medication to treat the swine influenza virus. People should remember that it is an antiviral medication which is designed to be used after the illness has been detected and should not be used as a preventative medication.

In fact in the UK the Health & Safety Executive recently advised doctors not to prescribe it as a preventative drug and said that it should only be given to people with severe flu symptoms or for those who have chronic underlying health conditions which could make the danger from the flu more severe.

The other medication recommended by the World Health Organisation to treat swine influenza is Relenza made by GlaxoSmithKline.