Ukraine goes into lockdown after swine flu spike

Ukraine has imposed a three week nationwide shut down on schools and banned public meetings after a surge in swine flu cases.

The epidemic has also stopped electoral campaigning as officials announced the first death from the H1N1 virus. But conflicting government reports suggest that as many as 11 people may have died. Ukraine’s chemists have been inundated as people stock up on anti-flu medicines and face masks. Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said emergency funds would be used: ‘‘Ukraine, by allocating money from the reserve fund, is buying the necessary quantities of medicine that are able to cope with this virus.’‘ Strict restrictions have also been placed on movement. Ukraine’s health ministry has established quarantine measures in nine of its western regions as cases in flu sore. Polish health authorities are not taking any chances either and have announced a state of alert in the southeast of the country.

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