Estonia Stops Swine Flu Tests

"The set of symptoms is the same both for seasonal and pandemic flu"

Since yesterday, patients with flu suspicions are not being tested anymore for so the called swine flu as the new flu has developed into seasonal flu.

“It is not a matter of money and costs but it is the result of observing the process of the epidemic. Seasonal flu viruses spread with the same intensity as the new flu is spreading,“ explained Kuulo Kutsar, advisor to the Epidemiology Department in the Health Protection Inspectorate, during an interview fgiven to Estonian news programme „Aktuaalne Kaamera“.

Kutsar admitted that the experts haven’t turned much attention to swine flu since the beginning of it, because the virus appeared to be quite a usual virus and according to the set of symptoms of the illness it doesn’t induce any serious forms on people.

“The set of symptoms is the same both for seasonal and pandemic flu, the treatment is the same, the preventive measures are the same, therefore, there is no need to make any difference now,“ he added.