28 Jul 2009

Samoa clinic bombarded with suspected swine flu cases

3:05 pm on 28 July 2009

A special clinic set up in Samoa's capital, Apia to treat suspected cases of swine flu is being bombarded with hundreds of patients a day.

Samoa now has 37 confirmed H1N1 cases and schools have been shut down for a week to try and stem the spread of the flu.

The special clinic opened last week so patients with flu like symptoms don't infect other patients.

The general manger of the national health service, Dr Stanley Dean says routine clinics like ante-natal and cardiac clinics have been temporarily closed so more resources can be given to the swine flu clinic.

"The main reason why we are closing those hospital clinics and also elective surgery is so that we can mobilise staff to help out with the clinics and also the increase number of patients in and out patients because of the flu. Because we don't have a large workforce to cope with these large number of patients. Since we first opened it was 400, not it's 500 to 600 a day ."

Dr Stanley Dean says students and teachers who are sick should use this week off to seek treatment.