Maternal Deaths on the Rise
CDC attendees were Mr. Huang, a local expert in H1N1 prevention and control, Party Secretary of Harbin CDC, professors from municipal hospitals, and Harbin Municipal Health Bureau Chief, Mr. Tian Yingjie.
The insider said, “Harbin has experienced a much higher maternal death rate in October 2009 than in previous years; there were about 10 deaths just in the Harbin area. Theoretically, the annual mortality rate is a few deaths per hundred thousand. The rate has increased from 6 to 25 percent just in October.
“Some women died with a fever before giving birth, and others died after giving birth, and they died quickly. Obstetricians and gynecologists have been ordered to immediately transfer patients with fever because people die quickly.”
Uninformed Medical Staff at Risk
During the meeting, CDC expert Huang indicated that the actual death rate from H1N1 in China is at least 10 to 100 times more than that reported. China is now at level 6 flu pandemic alert (the highest level according to WHO graduated scale of pandemic alerts) due to the highly contagious H1N1.
Medical staff are particularly at risk when the severity and death tolls remained unreported.
The insider revealed that the first maternal death in Harbin occurred on October 18. The patient was already in a coma when transferred from Red Cross Hospital to the First Municipal Hospital.
The ER doctor did not suspect the illness and did not take appropriate flu preventive measures during treatment. It was not revealed that the patient died of H1N1 until treatment failed.
Another expert has also seen the treatment of three pregnant women, who were not told that they had H1N1 flu. Experts claimed that this is putting the medical staff at risk.
An Estimated 10 to 20 Percent of the Population Will Be Infected
During the CDC meeting, it was estimated that 130 to 260 million people in China will be infected by H1N1, 10 to 20 percent of the total population. The mortality rate is the highest among children and people with underlying illnesses.
Other illnesses, such as pneumonia and ear infections, would present with similar symptoms, such as sore throat and fever. However, conventional treatment of pneumonia and ear infections would only lead to lung damage, delayed treatment, and death. Consequently, the authorities would not recognize H1N1 as the cause of death.
Patient with mild symptoms were only given prescription. The effect of the antiviral drug Tamiflu is not monitored by the authorities. Tamiflu is not only expensive but also frequently out of stock.
Experts at the meeting also revealed Harbin CDC is experiencing a tremendous workload for H1N1 testing.
The Epoch Times was also informed that the authorities have ignored the H1N1 pandemic. For instance, a medical student contracted H1N1 during his hospital internship, and his classmates weren’t even aware of his death. Since September, many middle and elementary schools have closed because of H1N1 outbreaks. The identified patients were sent to H1N1-designated hospitals. Since the schools reopened, whether or not those patients have recovered and their whereabouts remained unknown.
For now, the massive infection has been too big to cover up. The authorities simply ignore the problem and all of a sudden, “H1N1 seems to have vanished.”
Read the Original Chinese Article: h1n1china.org/gb/10/1/12/n2784301.htm
