– Health ministry says ‘a fairer picture of the H1N1 situation in this country would indicate that the virus has affected more that 50 people’
MORE H1N1 cases have been identified locally making a total of 32 laboratory confirmed patients with the novel influenza strain.

A statement from the Ministry of Health also pointed out that there are approximately 26 others which fit a high level of suspicion, though not yet authenticated.

But a fairer picture of the H1N1 situation in this country would indicate that the virus has affected more that 50 people, the Ministry said.

Capacity for H1N1 testing at the National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL) has been established and it commence soon.

NPHRL Director, Dr Colin Roach, said tests are being run here to ascertain the capabilities of the medical technologists and, after, the United States Centre for Disease Control (CDC) will be collaborating with the Guyana lab to undertake proficiency testing, a process that would see a panel of blind samples being sent back here, by the CDC, to be tested.

He said the results from here have to be sent back to the CDC which will assess the standard of work and determine its acceptability.

Meanwhile, according to the Health Ministry, the only thing it knows about the H1N1 vaccines for this country is that they have been shipped.

The Ministry said that was reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO) which added that Guyana is one of several recipients among developing countries.