Kingsley Kobo, AfricaNews reporter in Abidjan, Ivory Coast
The H1N1 influenza is currently causing havoc in northern Africa notably in Egypt, Morocco, Libya and Algeria, according to recent statements released by the health ministries of these countries.
After Algeria’s tragedy of three deaths over the weekend, Morocco announced its first swine flu victim – a 24-year-old pregnant woman from the northern city of Tangier.
She died on Sunday after contracting the H1N1 virus, the country’s health ministry said on Monday.
Eighty-three new cases of the disease were diagnosed over the weekend, bringing the total to 1,710 cases in Morocco.
Egypt reported one more death case of A/H1N1 flu on Monday, bringing the country's death toll from the virus to 21, Al-Ahram daily said.
A 28-year-old man died of the virus on Monday in a hospital in Helwan, south of Cairo, after suffering from fever, dyspnea and obesity, the report said.
Up till now, Egypt has reported more than 3,000 cases of the flu. Its first case was reported in June of a 12-year-old Egyptian-American girl coming from the United States via the Netherlands.
The first death case was confirmed on July 19 of a 28-year-old Egyptian woman, who came back from Saudi Arabia after making Umrah (pilgrimage to Mecca at any time of the year).
On Monday Libyan health officials reported the country's first death due to swine flu. Authorities say the victim was a 40-year-old pregnant woman.
The woman was said to have experienced side effects common with the Influenza A(H1N1) virus that ranged from shortness of breath to a dry cough and fever.
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