Undersecretary of Health: A small percentage of flu cases could become more critical

SANTIAGO.- Undersecretary of Health, Jeanette Vega, reiterated this morning that Gladys Azócar, 38, who is currently hospitalized at the Clínica Las Condes medical center for infection of the AH1N1 virus, continues in serious condition following respiratory failure.

"She is in serious condition, we transported her to Clínica Las Condes last night because she suffered a catastrophic respiratory failure and we needed to connect her to a machine (…) that functions like an external lung", Vega told Radio Cooperativa.

The undersecretary stated that the woman's organs "are so affected, so inflamed by the virus that they practically don't work". Vega also specified that the woman's husband and two sons are receiving treatment, as they too have symptoms of the virus.

Furthermore, the undersecretary explained that it is not surprising for some of the human influenza cases to become more grave, since there is a very small percentage of cases that evolve spontaneously.

"One hopes that only a very small percentage of cases actually become this serious", Vega stated while explaining that the Ministry of Health has changed its strategy against the virus from one of contention to one of mitigation.