Afghan Gov Fears Swine Flu: Not Enough Antivirals, Not Enough Graves

by Mike Smith · 2009-11-13 09:00:00 UTC
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The Afghan government has launched a swine-flu education campaign and declared an emergency after 11 people died of H1N1. You may think the government have more important things to worry about, but in Afghanistan there may not be enough graves to contain all the causalities, (due to the harsh winters, graves must be dug before the coldest weather sets in) and officials fear the effect the virus will have on their armed forces. Although only 11 people have so far died, the toll could rise considerably.

The Health Ministry fears that over 6 million people would contract the virus, with 5 per cent likely to develop severe symptoms that would put severe strain on the limited healthcare system, reports the LA Times. Supplies of antiviral medicine will not be sufficient to treat all the severe cases. Some government critics wonder whether this crisis has come at a good time for President Hamid Karzai, allowing him to close universities, the site of much political activism, following a disputed election.

Despite the shortage of vaccine, Taliban detainees will be receiving the vaccine. The US military also fears its soldiers and Afghan soldiers will contract the disease — one Afghan soldier has already died. The spread of the disease is not being helped by rumors that you won't contract the disease if you don't eat pork. Just like Egypt's ridiculous slaughter of all of its pigs, this rumor is only likely to compound problems.

Photo credit: UN Photo/Fardin Waez

Mike Smith
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