In July 2009, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) confirmed the second H1N1 death in South Africa.
Reports all over the country have indicated that the public are queuing up at doctors and pharmacies in order to obtain medicine against the virus, and in most cases these people are either not ill or have not being diagnosed with the virus yet. According to a statement issued by the Department of Health:
Measures are in place to deal with the outbreak in the country. As part of its response, the Department is working closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), the Centres for Disease Control (CDC), civil society, private hospitals and doctors’ associations to manage this global pandemic.
As of 30 July this year, the pandemic had spread to 159 countries and territories around the world, with a cumulative number of 146,609 confirmed cases and 1,096 confirmed deaths.
SO SHOULD WE PANIC NOW?
Dr Kgosi Letlape, a member of the Global Hygiene Council says, “There is no need to panic. The phase 6 of swine flu designation is not an indication of severity, but rather simply means that anyone can expect to get it.” He says it’s important that people know what to do. “Simple cough and sneeze etiquette and regular hand washing after visiting the bathroom and touching surfaces is important in breaking the cycle of infection. There is no need to alter or stop your travel plans. People should also be cautious about touching or shaking hands with people who show flu-like symptoms.”
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
The Global Hygiene Council recommends these tips to staying healthy:
> Avoid contact with people that have flu-like symptoms – fever, fatigue and sore throat
> Practice good hand hygiene – wash your hands frequently with a hygiene soap and water
> Cough into your elbow rather than your hands and sneeze into a tissue to minimise hand contact transmission of germs. Throw used tissues away immediately and wash your hands
> Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes with your hands
> If soap and water is unavailable use a hand sanitiser
> Regular disinfection of hand contact surfaces such as door handles, taps and light switches is recommended
> If you feel unwell with flu-like symptoms stay at home. Don’t go to work, and seek advice from your doctor or health authority via telephone
WHAT IS SWINE FLU?
Swine flu is a highly contagious respiratory disease in pigs caused by one of the swine influenza A viruses. Outbreaks can occur in pigs throughout the year, but increase during autumn and winter. According to the WHO, occasional cases of swine flu in humans have been reported in the past, ranging from patients with no symptoms to those with severe pneumonia resulting in death.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
The symptoms are similar to those of normal flu and include fever, coughing, loss of appetite, fatigue, aching muscles and lethargy. The US Center for Disease Control (CDC) says that some people with swine flu have also reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
HOW IS IT SPREAD?
According to the CDC swine flu is spread in people either from direct contact with infected pigs, or from contact with infected people in much the same way as other types of flu i.e. coughing and sneezing or touching something with the flu virus on it and then touching your mouth or nose. You can not get swine flu from eating pork or pork products.
WANT TO KNOW MORE…
-WHO guidelines
-REPORT from the Cape Times
-FAQ by Dr. CM Landon, Principal Medical Officer, Student Wellness Service, UCT
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