TAIPEI: Taiwan has passed the test for swine flu prevention in a "drill" that took place over the past two days, the spokesman for the Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center said yesterday.

Two suspected cases of A(H1N1) virus infection involving a 32-year-old mother and her infant daughter proved negative early yesterday morning. The handling of the matter by central and local health organizations, however, proved that Taiwan passed the test on swine flu control and prevention, said Shih Wen-yi, who is also deputy director-general of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

"The procedure was tantamount to a pandemic prevention drill," Shih argued at a news conference, where he explained how Taiwan handled the two suspected swine flu cases.

According to Shih, the woman and her 21-month-old daughter returned to Taiwan May 5 from the United States via Tokyo, Japan.

They developed fevers May 6 and May 8, respectively. Their cases were reported to the CDC May 9, and samples of their throat secretions were taken for tests.

Initially, they appeared positive for the swine flu virus, officially known as the A (H1N1) influenza strain, prompting the CDC to report the cases to the World Health Organization (WHO) late Sunday night, Shih said.

At a Sunday midnight news conference, Department of Health Chief Yeh Ching-chuan raised Taiwan's epidemic alert level to the second tier, on the basis of the likely swine flu cases.

"But further tests and analyses confirmed later that the mother and child were infected with the influenza A (H3) virus, rather than the A (H1N1) virus," Shih added.

With the two suspected cases ruled out as swine flu infections, Taiwan has lowered its alert level, having no confirmed cases.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 05/12/2009 page1)