Man diagnosed with H1N1 flu in Jerash, in good condition

AMMAN — Jerash Public Hospital has registered a case of H1N1 flu, commonly known as swine flu, the facility’s director said Monday.

The hospital on Sunday received a man in his forties who had a fever and was coughing, Hospital Director Ali Mahasneh said.

“The man underwent medical tests and he was diagnosed with the H1N1 flu virus,” Mahasneh told The Jordan Times.

He added that the Ministry of Health had issued directives to all hospitals and health centres across the Kingdom to deal with H1N1 cases as regular flu, noting that there are more than 200 types of influenza.

“Rumours spread very fast in the hospital about the man being diagnosed with bird flu,” Mahasneh said, adding that the patient is in good health and was transferred to Prince Hamzah Hospital at 1pm on Monday to avoid panic at the Jerash hospital.

The hospital director dismissed rumours that the patient’s nine family members received special vaccinations, but noted that they underwent X-rays and tests, and results confirmed they are free of any disease, except for one daughter who was diagnosed with tonsillitis and received medical treatment.

Jerash Health Director Ali Saad told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, that an H1N1 infection is no longer life threatening, stressing that there is no need to panic.

In case of complications such as fever or pneumonia, the ministry’s hospitals are equipped to administer the specialised treatment, he added. 

The H1N1 virus first emerged in Jordan in June 2009 with 3,049 cases and 16 related fatalities registered in the country that year.

The strain re-emerged in December 2010, causing 289 illnesses and 17 related deaths.

But the virus has since become seasonal, with fewer diagnosed cases and rare cases of death.

The Health Ministry has said that since the first outbreak of the disease in the country, all H1N1-related deaths in Jordan occurred among patients in high-risk groups such as the elderly, children, pregnant women and those with respiratory diseases.