POLOKWANE – A local doctor has confirmed to the Polokwane Review that there are active cases of swine flu in Polokwane.
The doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity said there have been cases recorded since February, especially in children but that it is not as much as seen in previous years.
According to Mayo Clinic, the H1N1 flu, commonly known as swine flu, is primarily caused by the H1N1 strain of the influenza virus. H1N1 is a type of influenza A virus, and is one of several flu virus strains that can cause the seasonal flu. Symptoms of the H1N1 flu are the same as those of the seasonal flu.
Signs and symptoms include:
Fever, but not always
Chills
Cough
Sore throat
Runny or stuffy nose
Watery, red eyes
Body aches
Headache
Fatigue
Diarrhea
Nausea and vomiting
Flu symptoms develop about one to three days after you’re exposed to the virus.
Read more: Swine Flu: symptoms and prevention
Healthline.com states that swine flu is highly contagious and spreads quickly from person to person.
“The best means of dealing with swine flu is to prevent it. Hand sanitization is important to stop the spread of the virus. Staying away from infected people will help stop person-to-person transmission,” their website states.
The latest statistics released by Amphath Laboratories show that swine flu hasn’t surpassed the 40% mark this year and currently stands at 30.9% for June 2022.
The Department of Health told the Review said they are yet to be formally notified of a surge of swine flu in the province.
Health MEC spokesperson Thilivhali Muavha said the joint committee on health, which they are a part of, that includes public and private health care professionals, the South African weather service, the provincial and national department of health, the NICD, and other stakeholders is constantly on the lookout for the emergence of infections.
“If cases of swine flu were identified, we would have been notified and would have already sent out a warning message and an official outbreak announcement,” he said.
However, Muavha added that they are not dismissing the reports but are yet to formally identify cases from the sector.
“The nature of our joint committee is that we meet on a quarterly basis, however when there are emergencies, we meet urgently so any emergence is contained. We have no record of swine flu in the province yet,” he said.
