Don’t confuse swine flu with seasonal influenza
The provincial Department of Health says that, contrary to popular belief, there is no outbreak of swine flu in Mpumalanga.
MBOMBELA – Health Department spokesman, Dumisani Malamule, told Lowvelder that no cases of swine flu have been reported. “Swine flu affect pigs, and there are none that have been diagnosed with the virus,” he said. “On the human side, we need to understand that we are in the middle of seasonal influenza season. As a result one will see an increase of influenza in humans because the virus is circulating.
“People should not be confused between swine flu and seasonal influenza.”
In July the H5N8 virus, commonly known as bird flu, was confirmed among chickens on farms in Mpumalanga and Gauteng. The farms were placed under quarantine.
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Earlier this week, however, reports that a school pupil in Gauteng had been diagnosed with bird flu caused panic. Laerskool Hennopspark warned parents last Friday that a learner had been diagnosed with bird flu after the pupil’s mother told the principal, and she felt it was the responsible thing to bring it to the attention of all parents.
The reports were debunked by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. It said no reports of bird flu had been confirmed in South Africa. Spokesman Sinenhlanhla Jimoh said there was no need for panic as no cases had been confirmed.
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