The Colombian government announced new measures it will take to ensure
that a potential swine flu epidemic is controlled and contained and
that the public is informed.
Social Protection Minister Diego Palacio announced the government will increase the number of anti-viral treatments it plans to buy from 200,000 to 400,000.
The Minister also said that the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta has
not prioritized the diagnosis of 18 samples from suspected cases of
swine flu in Colombia to determine whether or not the deadly
virus is in the country . He said he had contacted the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) to request diagnostic kits so that the government could quickly determine if swine flu is present in Colombia.
He said there are currently only five labs in the world that are able to diagnose the deadly virus.
Palacio also announced the creation of a national call center from May 1 that will receive calls from citizens with concerns about swine flu. 100 students in their last semester of a Health Sciences degree will be on hand to receive calls from citizens seeking advice.
Authorities also plan to launch a national campaign to inform the population about how to deal with swine flu.
The latest report from the Colombian government said that there are currently ten cases highly suspected to be swine flu and 49 cases under observation in the country.