Joyce J. Wangui, AfricaNews reporter in Cape Town, South Africa
The SA government has re-assured the nation of its ability to contain the swine flu outbreak. This follows last weeks' reported case of a 12 year old boy who tested positive for the HINI virus, upon returning from the US. The department of health says it is closely monitoring further cases of swine flu.
The department further assured it would do everything possible to curb the deadly epidemic.
“It is sad to note that our country has encountered the first ever case of the HINI virus but we are going to do everything to ensure that it doesn’t spread,” said health ministry spokesman Fidel Hadebe.
Hadebe added that the young patient was kept in isolation and discharged after a few days in hospital. He is well and recovering in isolation at home, according to the health ministry.
While there have been nearly 30 cases of swine flu in Egypt and several in Morocco, this is the first known case of the virus in sub-Saharan Africa.
Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a pandemic.
The department of communicable disease is already coordinating provincial outbreak response teams to avert the spread of the virus at provincial levels.
In a statement over the weekend, the department of communicable disease control said, ‘We have put everyone on high alert and trained people on the basic knowledge of symptoms and treatment of Influenza A HINI.’
The provinces’ border control was also given guidelines to prevent the spread of the epidemic in all the provinces and is closely working with the Departments’ Communicable Disease unit. The diagnosis systems have also put in place in all provincial laboratories to confirm any cases of influenza A H1N1.
The department said suspected cases would be nursed in isolation in regional and district hospitals. They have also started with radio talk shows, which will extend to community radio stations in the province.
Meanwhile people have been advice to seek immediate medical help, should symptoms occur.
World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that countries in the southern hemisphere - which includes the bulk of sub-Saharan Africa - could see an increase in cases of H1N1 because they are currently heading into winter and the height of flu season.
Swine flu, which was first detected in Mexico in April, has infected some 40,000 people in more than 70 countries and killed 167.
The SA government has re-assured the nation of its ability to contain the swine flu outbreak. This follows last weeks' reported case of a 12 year old boy who tested positive for the HINI virus, upon returning from the US. The department of health says it is closely monitoring further cases of swine flu.
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