Published by the government of Zimbabwe
30 April 2009
Harare — ZIMBABWE has increased surveillance at all entry ports of the country in the wake of the swine flu virus that has claimed over 160 people in Mexico and is said to be rapidly spreading across the globe.
In an interview yesterday, Health and Child Welfare Minister Dr Henry Madzorera said following the outbreak his ministry, with the assistance of partners who include the World Health Organisation country team, had deployed health teams at the country's ports of entry to check for any suspected cases of swine flu (H1N1).
"At the moment we have no recorded cases of the flu, but as a precaution we have put a number of measures in place to detect the virus in the event it spreads to Zimbabwe.
"A taskforce consisting of the ministry, the Department of Veterinary Services and WHO has increased surveillance at the country's main ports of entry that include the Harare International Airport, Bulawayo (Joshua Nkomo) Airport and Beitbridge, among others.
"We have put our structures on a state of readiness and will move in with haste to investigate suspected cases. Any suspected cases or individuals presenting symptoms similar to those of swine flu will be referred to our hospitals that investigate infections in the nearest city such as Wilkins Hospital in Harare," he said.
Minister Madzorera said the taskforce was therefore on the lookout for any signs of flu or any other unusual signs among visitors to Zimbabwe. He said health personnel had been asked to be on the lookout for any unusual increase in cases of flu.
"Although Zimbabwe does not have drugs to treat the bug in its stocks, Zimbabwe is aware that WHO Africa Regional Centre has enough of the medicine and in the event that the drugs are needed we can get in touch with them," he said.
According to the WHO, the human swine flu outbreak continues to grow in Mexico, United States and the globe forcing the global health body to raise the pandemic alert level from phase three to phase four, a clear signal of the need for quick response and mitigation efforts.
The rise in the pandemic level means experts believe the virus is showing a sustained ability to pass from human to human, and is able to cause community-level outbreaks.
Although Mexican authorities say they have recorded nearly 160 deaths of the bug and 2 000 cases, WHO says it has officially recorded only seven deaths.
In the United States 65 cases were confirmed and one death recorded, 13 cases were recorded in Canada, 14 in New Zealand while Britain, Spain and Israel have recorded two cases each. Germany had one.
Swine flu is a respiratory disease thought to spread through coughing and sneezing with similar symptoms to those of normal flu. Swine flu is caused by any strain of the influenza virus endemic in pigs and is rare in humans.
People who work with pigs, especially those with intense exposures, are at risk of catching swine influenza if the swine carries a strain able to infect humans.
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a high alert should have been in place for the CHOLERA EPIDEMIC - WHO ON EARTH ARE U FOOLING!!!
High alert yeyi munoshanyirwa nani you should have a high alert in prisons where people are dying. You cant even save the diesel nganga because he embarassed Zanu PF.