7-13-09, 9:37 am

Original source: Vietnam News Agency

HA NOI — No strains of A/H1N1 have been found resistant to Tamiflu in Viet Nam, director of the National Institute of Infectious and Tropical Diseases Nguyen Van Kinh said yesterday.

The news came after two cases of suspected Tamiflu-resistant flu recovered from the virus yesterday.

The two patients had tested positive for A /H1N1 for seven days of Tamiflu treatment, longer than usual, according to the National Institute of Infectious and Tropical Diseases in Ha Noi.

'The two patients suffered fever, cough and sore throat for seven days when most cases are only inflicted for two and test negative after five days,' the director said.

Samples from the two patients were sent to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) for tests.

There had been cases of Tamiflu-resistant flu around the world, Kinh said.

'This is normal because Tamiflu as well as other anti-biotics have a given rate of drug resistance. Tamiflu still has a good effect for the mass of patients.'

Backup plan

Nguyen Huy Nga, director of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Environment under the Ministry of Health, said that aside from Tamiflu, there was another drug, Ralenza, that can be used to treat A (H1N1). That was the backup plan for most countries when Tamiflu fails to work.

Officials from the health sector also warned people do not use Tamiflu without a doctor’s prescription so as not to facilitate anti-biotic resistant strains of flu.

The health sector will organise a workshop for reviewing A (H1N1) flu and collecting suggestion from health experts on issue of Tamiflu resistance.

The health ministry yesterday reported another 17 new cases of A (H1N1) flu, all of them from the south.

As of July 8, Viet Nam’s health ministry confirmed a total 279 positive cases of A (H1N1) flu with no fatalities. Of these, 221 have been discharged from hospital and the remainder have been isolated and are in stable condition.