Ruby Rabiu
5 November 2009
Abuja — The feared swine flu A(H1N1) has finally crossed the threshold of the Nigerian border and infected a family that resides in Lagos state.
The Federal Ministry of Health confirming the report revealed that the flu was discovered in a 9 year old American girl residing in Lagos.
A statement signed by the special assistant to the health minister, Niyi Ojuolape stated that the girl had started showing signs of the flu which had symptoms of fever, sore throat, nasal congestion and nausea and was rushed to the American Consular Clinic in Lagos.
The statement reads in part, " and before treatment was started, nasal specimens were taken for routine testing. Subsequently, the girl recovered fully with symptomatic treatment after 5 days duration of illness".
Subsequent investigations on the family confirmed that the father, brother and all school contacts of the girl did not suffer from any flu-like symptoms and are doing fine
"The mother had mild symptoms but recovered fully. All other contacts have been tested and they have been found negative to the Influenza A(H1N1). No other school pupil or person in the girl's school has flu like symptoms or is absent from school because of any illness".
So far about 27 countries have been hit by the swine flu, recording 14,109 cases and 76 deaths.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Ministry of Health where the case was reported according to the statement has since begun to trace, screen and upgraded its surveillance to ensure that no other case is recorded.
However the Federal Ministry of Health and all the States' Ministries of Health have increased surveillance and response plans to pick up any case that may occur.
'Indeed, all 36 States' Epidemiologists are currently meeting in Kaduna to fine tune the country's coordinated response to possible outbreaks of epidemics'.
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