POLOKWANE – According to a recent Facebook post by Medpark Clinic Polokwane, a surge in Influenza A cases (H1N1 “swine flu”; H3N2) is being experienced in the city.
This is characterised by a sudden onset of a high fever, sore throat, cough and other respiratory symptoms and treatment is mainly supportive, except in high risk cases.
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It’s called swine flu because in the past, people who caught it had direct contact with pigs. That changed several years ago, when a new virus emerged that spread among people who hadn’t been near pigs.
Swine Flu is transmitted in the same way as seasonal flu, when people who have it cough or sneeze, they spray tiny drops of the virus into the air. If you come in contact with these drops, or touch something an infected person has recently touched, you can catch H1N1 swine flu.
A doctor from Medpark Clinic confirmed that there was indeed cases of the flu and explained that it is highly contagious and that people should opt to get vaccinated, as this is the best possible way not to contract the flu.
Babies from 6 months can get an annual vaccination, he explained.
People older than 65, children younger than two-years-old, chronically ill people as well as pregnant women are considered high risk in catching Swine Flu.
