Swine flu outbreak at Mater Dei hospital, St Vincent de Paul

An outbreak of swine flu has been reported at Mater Dei Hospital and St Vincent de Paul Residence, Times of Malta has learnt. Read: Swine flu outbreak - what happens now? Sources said more than 30 patients were being treated for the potentially deadly H1N1 strain of influenza, more commonly known as the swine flu. Overcrowding at both the hospital and the home for the elderly in Luqa was acting as a catalyst for the strain to spread, even with a simple sneeze, the sources added. They said there were at least 18 patients from St Vincent de Paul who were suffering from the highly-contagious influenza. A further 15 new cases were reported at Mater Dei on Thursday morning, Times of Malta was told, with the numbers expected to increase in the coming days. According to the sources, the first patients to be diagnosed with the swine flu came from the home for the elderly and, within days, a number of other patients were diagnosed at Mater Dei. Read: When the flu turns into a pandemic The sources said efforts were under way to contain the outbreak by cordoning off areas where the swine flu patients were being treated. The hospital management vacated the endoscopy unit to use the space...