Sarah Scheenstra
2 July 2009
Kampala — Kenya is investigating another possible case of the H1N1 virus (the type A influenza strain often incorrectly called "swine flu") in Kisumu after their first confirmed case of the H1N1 virus on Monday.
The first case occurred in a young British student who had travelled to Kisumu to do field work after arriving in Nairobi on June 21.
There have been six suspected cases of the H1N1 virus in Uganda, but all have tested negative. Nonetheless, the country is prepared for an outbreak according to Health Minister Stephen Mallinga.
Indeed, health authorities in Uganda have been preparing for the H1N1 virus for the past six months.
"God forbid, but if it [a case of the flu] happens here, we will handle it," Mr Paul Kagwa, the assistant commissioner for Health Education and Promotion in Uganda, said on Tuesday.
The virus is treatable and is relatively mild, though other underlying medical conditions may aggravate it, according to Dr Joaquim Saweka, the country representative of the World Health Organisation.
He urged the public to do their part and communicate if they have symptoms. "If people do not feel well and communicate immediatel, we can control the situation," Dr Saweka told Daily Monitor.
As of early this week, there were only 18 confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus in the World Health Organisation African region, with two in Algeria, three in Cape Verde, two in Côte d'Ivoire, two in Ethiopia, one in Mauritius, seven in South Africa, and one in Kenya. None of these cases number among the 311 deaths resulting from the flu worldwide.
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