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Swine Flu Infections At 70,000, First Tamiflu-Resistant Case Reported

Posted on: Monday, 29 June 2009, 14:19 CDT

New figures released Monday by the World Health Organization (WHO) show there are now 70,893 recorded cases of swine flu worldwide, with 311 deaths, since late March when the outbreak was first discovered. The figures reflect 11,079 new cases of swine flu, including 48 deaths, since last Friday’s WHO bulletin.

Meanwhile, experts reported the first Tamiflu-resistant case of swine flu, confirmed in a patient in Denmark. The anti-viral drug Tamiflu has been the primary treatment used to fight the A(H1N1) pandemic.

The largest increase in infections took place in the United States, which added 6,268 cases including 40 deaths, bringing the total number of reported U.S. infections to 27,717, including 127 deaths. Canada reported 1,043 new cases, with its total number of infections now standing at 7,775, including 21 deaths. In Australia, the case-load increased by 758 infections, including four deaths, bringing its total to 4,038 infections and seven deaths.  Britain’s Department of Health announced its number of cases had jumped 1,604 since Friday, bringing the total to 5,937.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Friday that at least one million people in the United States have been infected with the A(H1N1) virus.  Using computer models and surveys of communities known to have high infection rates, the CDC said the new figures are roughly 50 times greater than the number of cases officially reported.

Some countries are no longer keeping track of all cases, while others do not report for each of the thrice-weekly bulletins, U.N. health agency said.

Separately, Roche Holding AG confirmed that a swine flu patient in Denmark showed resistance to the antiviral drug Tamiflu. The case marks the first reported resistance to Tamiflu, also known as oseltamivir, which doctors have used to combat the spread of A(H1N1) infections.

If taken early, Tamiflu lessens symptoms and reduces the risk of patients transmitting the virus to someone else.

David Reddy, an executive with Roche, told BBC News that the Tamiflu resistance was not unexpected considering that seasonal flu could do the same.

Experts are keeping a close eye on the situation.

"I'm not surprised about this finding. The question is whether it is going to spread. We will soon know the answer,” virologist Professor John Oxford told BBC News.

But Mr. Reddy emphasized that there were no signs of a Tamiflu-resistant strain of swine flu circulating within the community.

"The Health Protection Agency continues to watch for antiviral resistance and will be carrying out regular sample testing throughout this outbreak,” a spokeswoman for the British Health Protection Agency told BBC News.

"We have been monitoring antiviral drug resistance since the beginning of this outbreak. Routine sampling in the UK has shown that there is currently no resistance to oseltamivir or zanamivir.”

GlaxoSmith Kline’s antiviral drug zanamivir, or Relenza, is also effective against swine flu.

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On the Net:

• WHO
• CDC

Source: redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports

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