Influenza A (H1N1) has killed 133 in southern Brazil

On Monday, July 23, the state secretary of Health in Rio Grande do Sul confirmed that the total of H1N1 subtype influenza A (“gripe A”), also known as swine flu, deaths in the state had risen to 46. Along with 25 deaths in Paraná and 62 in Santa Catarina, the total of flu deaths so far this year in the three states in the southern region of Brazil has now risen to 133. For the sake of comparison, the total deaths this year is running at slightly less than 17% of those in 2009, the height of a flu pandemic, when there were a total of 789 deaths.

The Ministry of Health is expected to send over 400,000 vaccines to the region so that children between the ages of 2 and 5 can be vaccinated.

The minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, says that there is no danger of new epidemic in Brazil. The minister admitted there was a greater circulation of the flu virus, but pointed out that there is also a much bigger treatment network in place to deal with the problem rapidly and efficiently.

Brazilian health providers have been instructed to use Tamiflu as soon as symptoms of the influenza A appear as the medicine is most effective when given in the first 48 hours.