Meru: Info campaign underway as Swine Flu hits

  1. Posted on Wednesday 18 November 2009 - 09:57
    Peris
    Image of Peris
    Peris Wairimu, VoicesofAfrica alumna, Meru, Kenya
    Swine flu viruses have been recently reported in Meru,Kenya for the last 2 months. According to the area District Disease Surveillance Coordinator(DDSC) Mr. David Gitonga,the disease was first reported on 21 September and those in boarding primary and secondary schools are at high risk .
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    The coordinator said that out of the 22 specimen taken from 3 different schools last month,11 turned positive hence being a threat to parents and teachers. The virus is believed to spread very fast in the region especially in the clustered areas. David said that they are trying to educate the public on the virus by offering various booklets on H1N1 and introduction of health education in schools.

    ‘This is because the disease spreads from one person to the other through coughing, sneezing and touching used handkerchiefs and tissue papers or simply having close contact with a victim’, he said. Though no one has been reported dead from the disease, David said that they have tried to reduce its spread by isolating those with symptoms from the cluster and asking the public to maintain high standard of hygiene and proper sanitation.

    With its symptoms raging from fever,cough,headache,sore throat,joint pain and runny nose,members of public in Meru consider it as common flu and not as serious as the media and the European countries are trying to put it. Meanwhile a survey conducted by Division of Disease Surveillance-MoPHS Kenya,showed that there are vaccines available for pigs to prevent them from the disease BUT there are NO vaccines to prevent humans from the flu. Hence the seasonal swine flu vaccine is to provide partial protection against H3N2 and not H1N1. In 1918-1919 Spanish flu caused H1N1 is believed to have killed 40 million people worldwide.

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