TAIPEI: Three more severe cases of A (H1N1) flu have been confirmed, doubling the number of serious cases in Taiwan to six, the Center for Disease Control said yesterday.

One of the latest to come down with a severe case of the human swine flu was a 6-year-old kindergarten pupil, said CDC Vice Director Lin Ting. Five out of 21 of the boy's fellow pupils contracted mild cases of the virus, he said. All severe cases in Taiwan occurred in July.

The first two severe cases reportedly had not traveled overseas recently, leading officials to conclude they were victims of infections acquired locally.

An estimated 90 percent of the 1,000 general flu cases recorded each week have been diagnosed as H1N1, but most have been able to be treated within a week, officials said.

No deaths from the virus have been recorded in Taiwan.

Most of the original cases arrived from the United States; later cases came from Thailand.

The second severe case, a 39-year-old man, had a history of kidney and liver disease complicating his situation, Lin said. All four severely ill H1N1 patients were still receiving medical treatments at intensive care units, he said.

The Department of Health also announced yesterday that any new swine flu patients will receive treatment with the anti-virus drug Tamiflu, the cost of which will be covered by the "national health insurance system", regardless of whether patients are infected with a mild or more virulent strain.

If H1N1 is identified through a rapid testing method, administering Tamiflu within 48 hours can prevent the light strain of the virus from turning more virulent, officials said.

The CDC emphasized its present policy is to reduce the impact of H1N1 and to help patients recover. Earlier, the CDC had focused on keeping the virus out of Taiwan.

The government has predicted the flu situation could turn more serious after September, with the onset of colder weather and increased susceptibility to the flu among the public.

Taiwan News

(HK Edition 07/29/2009 page2)