Cablegate: Portugal H1n1 Update - Sept 17

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HHS FOR CDC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU PGOV PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL H1N1 UPDATE - SEPT 17

1. Between 31 August and 13 September, Portugal diagnosed
4,495 new cases of H1N1, with no confirmed fatalities to
date. 19 patients are hospitalized, 5 in intensive care.
Public health officials are expecting, however, that there
will be fatalities here soon.

2. The Portuguese Association for Consumer Protection (DECO)
advises consumers to analyze their health insurance policies
to confirm if H1N1-related expenses are covered.

3. On August 27, the Labor and Health Ministries published a
new law mandating closure of schools or businesses in the
event of a serious risk to public health.

4. Teachers, who are required to stay home if they begin to
exhibit flu symptoms, are concerned about the possible
negative impact of such absences on their performance
evaluations and say those absences should be excluded for
evaluation purposes.

For more reporting from Embassy Lisbon and information about Portugal,
please see our Intelink site:

http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/portal:port ugal
BALLARD

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