TRAVEL patterns are dictating the spread of the influenza H1N1 virus and if Trinidad and Tobago wants to remain virus free, it needs to continuously monitor the people coming into the country, says one immunologist.

Dr Andrew Pekosz, an associate professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore has said that ’If you look at the travel patterns for all the infected countries, you will see. This is what is dictating the way countries are getting this virus’.

However, with less than three weeks to go before the Costa Rican football team arrives with their entourage to play the Soca Warriors in a CONCACAF World Cup Qualifier match at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago, Pekosz yesterday told the Express that the only thing health officials could do to control the spread was watch arrivals.

Presently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed that Costa Rica has one H1N1 related death and eight confirmed cases.

A leading expert in infectious diseases, Pekosz said although this country has not been hit hard by the virus, chances are when it does strike, it could hit harder than anywhere else because that was the nature of influenzas.

’In 2004, Indonesia was hit the hardest when H5N1 (bird flu) resurfaced even though they saw no human cases when the virus first appeared in 2003....so no one can say they are safe,’ he insisted.

However, as to the myth that the virus was infecting a certain type of ethnic race, namely Caucasians and Hispanics, Pekosz said no data has been collected to confirm it or refute it. -AA