2009 swine flu pandemic in Ukraine explained

See also: 2009 flu pandemic in Europe.

See main article: 2009 flu pandemic.

The 2009 swine flu pandemic was a global outbreak of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1, first identified in April 2009, termed Pandemic H1N1/09 virus by the World Health Organization (WHO)[1] and colloquially called swine flu. The outbreak was first observed in Mexico,[2] [3] and quickly spread globally. On the 11th of June 2009, the WHO declared the outbreak to be a pandemic.[4] [5] The overwhelming majority of patients experience mild symptoms,[4] but some persons are at higher risk of suffering more serious effects; such as those with asthma, diabetes,[6] [7] obesity, heart disease, or those who are pregnant or have a weakened immune system.[8] In the rare severe cases, around 3–5 days after symptoms manifest, the sufferer's condition declines quickly, often to the point respiratory failure.[9] Although Ukraine was not (very) affected at first there was on outbreak of the virus in Western Ukraine in early November 2009 that led to the closing of public buildings and cancellation of meetings for three weeks.

As of December 2009 more than two million people had fallen ill since Ukraine's flu epidemic began and about 500 of those people died of flu or flu-like illnesses and its complications (pneumonia) of the 46 million people then living in Ukraine. Ukraine was one of the countries most affected (8th) by swine flu in Europe.

According to Ukrainian Justice Minister Mykola Onischuk the epidemiological situation during October–December 2009 didn't change the overall death rate in Ukraine.[10]

Ukraine has two laboratories capable of identifying influenza strains.[11]

Timeline

First cases

The virus reached Ukraine on 5 June 2009 when the first case of the virus was officially confirmed in Ukraine. The patient concerned, a 24-year-old Ukrainian citizen, had arrived from New York City via Paris at Kyiv's Boryspil Airport on May 29, 2009.[12] Before that imports of pork and live pigs from all affected countries had been banned. The ban applied to all shipments after April 21, 2009.[13]

A second swine flu case (in Ukraine) was confirmed on September 29, 2009.[14]

Flu epidemic

October 2009

On October 27, 2009, an outbreak of influenza-like illness and the deaths of seven people from its complications were reported in Ternopil region.[15] [16] Schools and universities in Ternopil were closed.

Radio Netherlands Worldwide mentioned (on November 4) that rumors had spread about a plane said to have been flown over the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, releasing powder containing a mutated variety of the A (H1N1) virus.[17]

On 30 October 2009, Ukrainian Ministry of Health confirmed 11 new cases of swine flu and the first death from it. An epidemic was declared and nine out of 25 regions of Ukraine were put under quarantine,[18] [19] on November 5, 2009 Kirovohrad became the 10th.[20] Due to the outbreak public meetings, including cinema, were forbidden nationwide and all educational institutions were closed for three weeks (subject to extension if necessary).[21] [22] Conscription into the Ukrainian army was also suspended,[23] and the Professional Football League of Ukraine postponed football matches in the Ukrainian First League and Second League.[24]

November 2009

A large shipment of Tamiflu was delivered from Switzerland to Ukraine on November 1, 2009, for distribution among hospitals for free.[25]

On November 2, 2009, at Ukraine's request, the WHO sent a team of nine experts to determine if the same strain of swine flu was responsible for the 70 recent deaths from acute respiratory illness in the country.[26] [27]

According to the Ukrainian Health Ministry, by November 2, 2009, the number of people who had died of influenza and respiratory diseases had reached 60, the number of people suffering from the flu was 200,000[25] and about 22 patients had tested positive for swine flu.[28] On November 5, 2009, the Ministry said the death toll of patients with flu-related and acute respiratory illnesses had jumped to 95. 15 of 31 patient samples sent to London for laboratory analysis tested positive for the H1N1 virus.[29]

By November 6, 2009, twenty-eight cases of swine flu had been confirmed in Ukraine. Thirteen of these cases were in people who had died by that point.[30] The Ukrainian health ministry estimated that Ukraine required 12.5 million doses of a vaccine against swine flu.[31] Four days later, on November 10, 2009, the number of confirmed cases had risen to 67. However, only one more person had died. 1,031,587 people in Ukraine had contracted flu or a flu-like illness by then and of them 52,742 where hospitalized at the time of the report.[32] Since there had been 174 additional deaths from acute respiratory viral infections [33] and other patients had recovered, though this number is less than the total hospitalizations related to flu and flu-like illnesses.

At this point, a policy was implemented that stated that if at least one person had been diagnosed with swine flu in any region of Ukraine, then everyone in that region diagnosed with the flu would receive swine flu treatment.[32]

On November 17, 2009, the WHO issued a statement that there were no significant differences between the pandemic H1N1 strain and the Ukrainian strains tested.[34]

Starting on November 18, 2009, the Ukrainian ministry of health stopped publishing separate statistics on cases of A/H1N1 influenza.[35] Regional commissions were given the power to cancel quarantines of higher educational establishments on November 20.[36]

On November 23 educational institutions opened again in regions below the epidemic threshold for flu and respiratory infections;[37] for instance on November 25, 2009, all educational institutions and kindergartens in Kyiv resumed work.[38]

December 2009

As of December 2, 2009, 445 people had died of flu and flu-like illnesses with a total of 116,982 people hospitalized since the start of the epidemic (October 29, 2009). Of those hospitalized, 93,213 people had at the time been discharged from hospitals. On December 2 the epidemic threshold was still exceeded in the Zakarpattia and Khmelnytsky regions.[39]

By December 7, 2009, more than two million people had fallen ill since Ukraine's flu epidemic began, with 88 patients in intensive care at the time.[40] At the time about 46 million people lived in Ukraine.[41]

By December 8, 2009, 468 people had died of flu and flu-like illnesses and its complications (pneumonia) in Ukraine with a total of 128,851 people that had been hospitalized since the start of the epidemic (October 29) and 102,510 people discharged from hospitals. On December 8 the epidemic threshold was still exceeded in Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Luhansk and Sumy regions.[42]

In December 2009, Ukrainian and World Health Organization officials warned of a second and third wave of the flu epidemic starting in late December 2009 and early 2010.[43] On December 23, the WHO said that H1N1 was resurgent in Ukraine, as well as in Serbia and Turkey, with increasing influenza-like illness and acute respiratory illness.[44]

As of December 28, 652 people had died since the epidemic started in late October. At the time 258 people were in intensive care with dozens on ventilators. More than 200,000 people have been hospitalized.[45] Late December 2009 saw high influenza activity in the Eastern Ukrainian provinces Donetsk Oblast and Luhansk Oblast.[46]

The spread of acute respiratory infections in Ukraine passed over a second peak in late December 2009, with case counts almost three times those from the same time in the prior year.[47]

January 2010

On January 8 the WHO said that intense A/H1N1 virus activity continued in Ukraine, as well as in several other eastern Europe countries.[48] On January 23, Ukrainian health officials reported that they expected a second surge of flu and respiratory infections to strike early in February 2010.[49]

The number of those who had died of flu and flu-like illnesses in Ukraine increased to 940 people on January 12, 2010, with the epidemic threshold exceeded in Dnipropetrovsk, Luhansk, Poltava, Sumy regions and Crimea; according to the Ukrainian Health Ministry.[50] This number increased to 1,019 people on January 21, 2010, with the epidemic threshold exceeded in the Dnipropetrovsk, Luhansk, Poltava and Sumy regions.[51]

Epidemiology

According to Chief State Sanitary Doctor Oleksandr Bilovol, the mass refusal by Ukrainians to be vaccinated (after several persons allegedly died after vaccinations in 2008[52] and 2009[53]) was partly the cause for the epidemic.[22]

According to Ukrainian doctors the Government of Ukraine had provided no public information and taken no precautionary measures to prevent the pandemic.[17] [54] [55] In November, the WHO praised the Ukrainian government for the measures it took to prevent the spread of the flu epidemic in Ukraine.[56] According to a poll carried out by the Institute of Social and Political Psychology of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine in November 2009 Ukrainian citizens had mainly negative feelings about measures being taken by the government to fight the flu epidemic. According to the poll, 49.8% of respondents made a negative assessment of the activities of the Cabinet of Ministers (37.4% a positive one), 44.8% the Health Ministry (28.1% positive), 57.4% the president and his secretariat (18.8% positive), and 50.4% the Verkhovna Rada (parliament of Ukraine) (18.6% positive).[57]

Ukrainian analysts have suggested that politicians, mainly Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, have tried to use the pandemic to score political points with the January 2010 presidential election in mind.[58] This was denied by Prime Minister Tymoshenko.[59] [60] According to a poll by Research & Branding Group the majority of Ukrainians thought that the epidemic of flu would not affect the presidential elections.[61] According to a November 2009 poll by FOM-Ukraine 33.3% of Ukrainians think that the public panic about the flu epidemic helped Prime Minister Tymoshenko the most, while 28.7% said it was a boost for all politicians (other individual politicians where polled at <10%). Asked what caused the panic, 45.6% pointed to the media and 20.3% to government representatives.[62]

According to the Ukrainian Health Ministry the average daily number of fatalities caused by flu in 2009 was lower than in 2008, when it was 18.[63]

During the pandemic Ukrainians started to eat onions and garlic (in Lviv, the price of garlic had skyrocketed in November 2009[17]), took vitamins, spent more time at home or drank alcoholic beverages in order to protect themselves from flu and flu-like illnesses.[64]

By mid-December 2009 the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament) had allocated over 600 million hryvnya to fight the flu epidemic in Ukraine.[65]

Comparisons within Europe

On 13 November 2009, the WHO announced that, based on data collected from 43 European countries, Ukraine had the 8th highest infection rate of A/H1N1 in Europe (following Norway, Sweden, Bulgaria, Moldova, Iceland, Ireland and Russia). Furthermore, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Poland, various regions of Russia, Northern Ireland, Turkey, Finland, and Ukraine had a high sickness rate of А/Н1N1 flu.[66] [67]

According to Jukka Pukkila, head of a WHO international mission to Ukraine, "there is no difference concerning the rate of A/H1N1 flu infection in Ukraine compared to other countries".[68] WHO tests of the H1N1 pandemic virus samples taken from Ukrainian patients haven't exposed any signs of mutation.[69]

A total of 22 countries had given assistance to Ukraine in fighting its flu epidemic by November 2009.[70]

See also

External links

Official status reports
Background information

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Transcript of virtual press conference with Dr Keiji Fukuda, Assistant Director-General ad Interim for Health Security and Environment, World Health Organization . . 7 July 2009 . 4 October 2020 . 12 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181212010520/https://www.who.int/mediacentre/Pandemic_h1n1_presstranscript_2009_07_07.pdf . live .
  2. News: Flu Outbreak Raises a Set of Questions . Mcneil . Donald G. . April 27, 2009 . . 2009-10-24 . 2011-02-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110215221659/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/health/27questions.html . live .
  3. Web site: Press Release: A/H1N1 influenza like human illness in Mexico and the USA: OIE statement. Maria Zampaglione. World Organisation for Animal Health. April 29, 2009. April 29, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090430105521/http://www.oie.int/eng/press/en_090427.htm. 30 April 2009 . dead.
  4. News: World now at the start of 2009 influenza pandemic. Chan. Dr. Margaret. 2009-06-11. World Health Organization. 2009-10-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20091022123810/http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2009/h1n1_pandemic_phase6_20090611/en/index.html. 22 October 2009 . dead.
  5. Web site: UK National Institute for Medical Research WHO World Influenza Centre: Emergence and spread of a new influenza A (H1N1) virus, 12 June 09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090926024816/http://www.nimr.mrc.ac.uk/wic/ . 2009-09-26 . dead . 2009-09-02 .
  6. Web site: Diabetes and the Flu. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. 2009-10-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20091025113447/http://www.flu.gov/individualfamily/healthconditions/diabetes/index.html. 25 October 2009 . live.
  7. Web site: CDC's Diabetes Program - News & Information - H1N1 Flu. 2009-10-14. CDC.gov. CDC. 2009-10-25. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Diabetes Translation. https://web.archive.org/web/20091023100843/http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/news/docs/flu.htm. 23 October 2009. dead. dmy-all.
  8. News: Hartocollis . Anemona . 'Underlying conditions' may add to flu worries . The New York Times . 2009-05-27. 2009-09-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20090807164138/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/health/policy/28flu.html. August 7, 2009. live.
  9. News: Clinical features of severe cases of pandemic influenza. 2009-10-16. World Health Organization. 2009-10-25. Geneva, Switzerland. https://web.archive.org/web/20091025105555/http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/notes/h1n1_clinical_features_20091016/en/index.html. 25 October 2009 . dead.
  10. Web site: Dec. 28, 2009 . Kyiv Post . 2009-12-28 . 2024-06-30 . 2024-05-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522010726/https://archive.kyivpost.com/article/content/ukraine-politics/influenza-hasnt-raised-death-rate-in-ukraine-says-56060.html . live .
  11. Web site: Flu strain testing lab opens in Volyn . Kyiv Post . 2009-12-31 . 2024-06-30 . 2024-05-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240522011224/https://archive.kyivpost.com/article/content/ukraine-politics/flu-strain-testing-lab-opens-in-volyn-56232.html . live .
  12. Web site: First case of A (H1N1) virus officially confirmed in Ukraine, says Health Ministry . Інтерфакс-Україна . https://web.archive.org/web/20090608193424/http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/15197/ . June 8, 2009 . uk . May 6, 2009 . dead.
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  14. Web site: Second А(H1N1) swine flu case confirmed in Ukraine . Kyiv Post . 2009-09-29 . 2024-06-30.
  15. Web site: Seven die of unknown flu virus in Ukraine's Ternopol region . ITAR-TASS . 2009-10-27 . 2009-10-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091116085218/http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=14475402&PageNum=0. 16 November 2009 . dead.
  16. Web site: Seven people died of ILI complications in Ternopil region . Inter TV-channel . Ru . 2009-10-27 . 2009-10-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091029210907/http://podrobnosti.ua/podrobnosti/2009/10/27/639597.html. 29 October 2009 . live.
  17. Web site: Groot . Willemien . Ukraine gripped by the A(H1N1) flu virus . Radio Netherlands Worldwide . 30 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091107024525/http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/ukraine-gripped-ah1n1-flu-virus . November 7, 2009 . November 4, 2009 . dead.
  18. Web site: Quarantine ordered . KyivPost . 2009-10-30 . 2009-10-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091101212613/http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/51527/. 1 November 2009 . live.
  19. Web site: В Украине началась эпидемия "свиного" гриппа. Стране грозит карантин . podrobnosti . 2009-10-30 . uk . 2024-06-30 . 2012-03-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120307152554/http://podrobnosti.ua/accidents/2009/10/30/640227.html . live .
  20. Web site: Nov. 05, 2009 . Kyiv Post . 2009-11-05 . 2024-06-30 . 2024-05-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519093014/https://archive.kyivpost.com/article/content/ukraine-politics/kirovohrad-region-became-next-to-impose-quarantine-51981.html . live .
  21. Web site: Ukraine shuts schools, halts campaigning over H1N1 . Reuters . 2009-10-30 . 2024-06-30 . 2021-03-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210308154111/https://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-SwineFlu/idUSTRE59T2YA20091030?sp=true . live .
  22. Web site: Chief doctor: mass refusal by citizens to be vaccinated partly to blame for A(H1N1) epidemic . Kyiv Post . 2009-11-01 . 2024-06-30 . 2024-05-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519093017/https://archive.kyivpost.com/article/content/ukraine-politics/chief-doctor-mass-refusal-by-citizens-to-be-vaccin-51619.html . live .
  23. Web site: Draft into Ukrainian army suspended due to flu epidemic . Інтерфакс-Україна . 30 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091103195007/http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/23420 . November 3, 2009 . October 31, 2009 . dead.
  24. News: Епідемія переносів [оновлюється] (Epidemic causes postponements (renewed))]. 2009-10-30. PFL. 2009-10-31. uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20091113175307/http://www.pfl.com.ua/news.php?id=091030172926. 2009-11-13. dead.
  25. Web site: Ukrainian Hospitals To Distribute Tamiflu For Free . RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty . 2009-11-02 . 2024-06-30 . 2016-03-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225901/http://www.rferl.org/content/Ukrainian_Hospitals_To_Distribute_Tamiflu_For_Free/1867682.html . live .
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  27. Web site: Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, Ukraine - update 1 . World Health Organization . https://web.archive.org/web/20091104161750/http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_11_03/en/index.html . November 4, 2009 . dead.
  28. Web site: Bloomberg Politics . Bloomberg.com . 2024-06-29 . 2024-06-30 . 2023-06-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230608211131/https://www.bloomberg.com/politics?pid=20601087&sid=aho.pJfVAysE&pos=9 . live .
  29. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/51972/ Update: more death, illness
  30. http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/23986/ Twenty-eight swine flu cases confirmed in Ukraine, 13 die of swine flu, says emergencies ministry
  31. Web site: Nov. 06, 2009 . Kyiv Post . 2009-11-06 . 2024-06-30 . 2024-05-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240515211914/https://archive.kyivpost.com/article/content/ukraine-politics/health-ministry-estimates-ukraine-needs-125-millio-52069.html . live .
  32. Web site: Nov. 10, 2009 . Kyiv Post . 2009-11-10 . 2024-06-30 . 2024-05-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240521225149/https://archive.kyivpost.com/article/content/ukraine-politics/government-ukraine-records-67-swine-flu-cases-14-o-52372.html . live .
  33. Web site: Health Ministry confirms 174 deaths from flu, acute respiratory viral infections . Kyiv Post . 2009-11-10 . 2024-06-30 . 2024-05-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519071559/https://archive.kyivpost.com/article/content/ukraine-politics/health-ministry-confirms-174-deaths-from-flu-acute-52310.html . live .
  34. News: Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, Ukraine - update 2. 2009-11-17. World Health Organization. 2009-11-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20091119040002/http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_11_16/en/index.html. 19 November 2009 . dead.
  35. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/53138/ Health Ministry: Flu, respiratory diseases claim 344 lives in Ukraine
  36. http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/25670/ Ukrainians still running high risk of contracting flu, respiratory infections, says first-vice premier
  37. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/53302/ Education institutions in regions with low rate of flu cases to resume working on Nov. 23
  38. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/53301/ Quarantine ends in educational institutions of Kyiv on Nov. 25
  39. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/54189/ Flu, pneumonia kill 445 people in Ukraine
  40. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/54518/ Sick list tops two million in Ukraine
  41. Web site: Ukrainian population down to 46 million in September. 2009-11-13. Kyiv Post. 2009. 2009-12-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20091223100641/http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/52720. live.
  42. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/54541/ Five people die of flu, pneumonia in past 24 hours in Ukraine
  43. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/54539/ Flu-related illness persists in five Ukrainian oblasts
  44. Web site: 2024-06-30. Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 80. www.who.int.
  45. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/56080/ 17 more deaths attributed to flu-like illness
  46. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/56018/ Health Ministry confirms 633 deaths by influenza and ARVI
  47. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/56381/ EuroFlu: Ukraine to see second outbreak of flu
  48. http://www.euro.who.int/influenza/AH1N1/20100105_1 Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 activity continues despite declining clinical trends
  49. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/57842/ Ukraine health officials expect new flu surge for runoff
  50. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/56873/ Death toll from flu, respiratory infections in Ukraine rises to 940
  51. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/57759/ Health Ministry: Death toll from flu, respiratory infections in Ukraine rises to 1,019
  52. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/30691/ Teenager’s death spurs vaccination questions, fears
  53. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/52696/ Vaccinations against flu proving to be hard sell
  54. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/52029/ Pandemic politics
  55. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/world/europe/14flu.html?scp=1&sq=flu%20Ukraine&st=cse Fragile Care Worsened Swine Flu in Ukraine
  56. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/53507/ WHO praises Ukrainian government for work on prevention of flu epidemic
  57. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/54523/ Poll: Ukrainians dissatisfied with government's measures on fighting flu epidemic
  58. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8338835.stm Panic in Ukraine over swine flu
  59. http://blog.tymoshenko.ua/en/article/cv5365z4 Flu
  60. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/53666/ BYT: Regions Party, president using health of Ukrainians as weapon in struggle against Tymoshenko
  61. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/54061/ Poll: epidemic of flu not to affect elections
  62. http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/27110/ Poll: Over 30% of Ukrainians say panic over flu epidemic helped Tymoshenko
  63. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/52902/ Health Ministry: Flu, respiratory infections kill 315 people in Ukraine
  64. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/54053/ Poll: Ukrainians eat onion, garlic, drink alcoholic beverages to protect themselves from flu
  65. http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/27778/ Ukrainian parliament allocates over UAH 600 m to fight flu
  66. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/53165/ WHO: A/H1N1 infection rate in Ukraine not the highest in Europe
  67. Web site: EuroFlu Weekly Electronic Bulletin 13.11.2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20121227093408/http://www.euroflu.org/cgi-files/bulletin_v2.cgi. dead. December 27, 2012.
  68. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/52878/ Health Ministry sees no need to publish information about confirmed cases of A/H1N1 flu
  69. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/53041/ World Health Organization: Initial tests show no mutation in H1N1 virus samples from Ukraine
  70. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/52974/ Twenty-two countries ready to assist Ukraine in fighting flu epidemic