Costa Rican president Arias contracts swine flu

[HonestRN]

"SAN JOSE-Costa Rica's President Oscar Arias, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and mediator of the Honduran political crisis, has contracted swine flu, the government said.

"In the afternoon he was informed that he had contracted the A(H1N1) influenza virus," said Rodrigo Arias, the president's brother and chief of staff.

The 67-year-old president, who was under medical care, must remain isolated in his residence for at least seven days, but will not delegate power during his absence, his brother said."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jNIQlJDbgWA3Bs4AUODZlwqyfuiA

[lamazeteacher]

"SAN JOSE-Costa Rica's President Oscar Arias, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and mediator of the Honduran political crisis, has contracted swine flu, the government said.

"In the afternoon he was informed that he had contracted the A(H1N1) influenza virus," said Rodrigo Arias, the president's brother and chief of staff.

The 67-year-old president, who was under medical care, must remain isolated in his residence for at least seven days, but will not delegate power during his absence, his brother said."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jNIQlJDbgWA3Bs4AUODZlwqyfuiA

Thanks so much for the "heads up", honestRN! Pregnant women should not be tourists there, for some time! The article states a proportionately large incidence of morbidity and mortality from H1N1 in Costa Rico

I sure hope they have ECMO, as the President has a preexisting condition, asthma and was sick for "many days", from the article above.

That country needs to have some priority (as well as NYC) for the new H1N1 vaccine, especially for the many pregnant women there, when it becomes available in Oct.'09. There are many exotic birds there, which gives pause to the thought of avian flu and the need for a differential dx.