Two more swine flu cases confirmed in Romania, health minister says

All three are currently hospitalized at the “Matei Bals” Institute for infectious diseases. “The three patients are in a good state,” explained Bazac.

The woman is 30 years old, an U.S. resident and arrived in Romania on May 23, after stopping in Paris. The first tests were carried out at the Cantacuzino Institute and the samples were sent to the specialized laboratory in London for the swine flu confirmation. The result is expected back by May 29. 

“It is 99 percent sure that we are dealing with the first swine flu case in Romania,” declared the Health Minister Ion Bazac. He added that the investigation meant to find all the people whom the patient had contact with and that it is carried out with the help of the U.S. embassy.

The flight that brought the patient home landed on the Henri Coanda Bucharest Airport on May 23 at around 2 p.m. and carried 93 people. The passenger list was, according to Air France, sent to the Romanian authorities.

The airport uploaded yesterday the list of swine flu prevention measures for passengers posted on its website.

It is recommended that passengers with fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue visit the infectious diseases section of the nearest hospital. Readers are also advised to avoid the contact with sick people, to stay out of crowded places, to wash their hands as often as possible and to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.

Bazac had earlier stated Romania has the capacity to produce a monthly output of seven million vaccine shots against the swine flu, with the first shots available starting with September. 

Romania is thus one of the eight European countries able to produce the anti-flu vaccine, alongside France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Hungary.