Ecuadorian officials are denying they are facing a H1N1, swine flu, epidemic in spite of eight deaths and 35 confirmed cases reported in December 2010. The country’s national director of epidemiology, Juan Moreira, has stated the number of cases is “within an expected range.”
International fears about an outbreak occurring are high in light of what is happening in England and Wales. Flu cases have more than doubled in the past couple of weeks in that region, and include the H1N1 strain.
The World Health Organization is monitoring hot spots to ensure that another outbreak similar to the deadly 2009 doesn’t take hold globally. The 2009 outbreak started in a rural region of Mexico.
