Zimbabwe - An outbreak of flu A (H1N1) has hit all of the country?s 10 provinces

[tetano]

BULAWAYO ? AN outbreak of the deadly influenza H1N1 commonly known as swine flu has been reported in Tsholotsho, Matabeleland North where two people have tested positive out of the 300 cases reported.
Themba Moyo, the Tsholotsho district administrator on Friday wrote to Matabeleland North provincial administrator, Latiso Dlamini notifying her of the outbreak.
?We hereby report on the outbreak of influenza H1N1 in Tsholotho District. A total of 300 cases have been reported, seven tests done and two have been confirmed positive.
Moyo said two vehicles, 600 litres of fuel, oxygen and NS fluids, among other things, were urgently needed to fight the outbreak.
Moyo confirmed the outbreak to The Standard on Friday but referred all inquiries to Dlamini.
?I can confirm the outbreak of H1N1 in Tsholotsho district but I am not at liberty to shed more light at this stage. The provincial administrator, Dlamini could be in a position to comment further? said Moyo.

more at....

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/local/26981-outbreak-of-swine-flu-in-matabeleland.html

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Outbreak of swine flu in Matabeleland

Swine/H1N1 Flu resurfaces in Southern Africa
Sunday 17 October 2010 / by Alice Chimora

.....

Dr Portia Manangazira of the Epidemiology and Disease Control Unit in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare of Zimbabwe, Saturday October 16 said the flu bug might be a combination of H1N1 (swine flu) and H3N2 (common cold flu). [sic]

“There is a spread of a combination of H1N1 and H3N2 countrywide but cases of common cold flu are usually reported between May and September,” said Dr Manangazira.

....

“We do not have laboratory samples and we base our surveys on signs and symptoms to give medication. We are still using the same drug oseltamivir, which treats both swine and cold flu to treat this bug,” she said.

...

http://www.afrik-news.com/article18385.html

[Pathfinder]

Re: Outbreak of swine flu in Matabeleland

Sunday, October 17, 2010


Deadly flu outbreak hits Zim.

Patience Rusare in Harare and Mduduzi Moyo in Bul

A LIFE-THREATENING flu bug with symptoms similar to those of the deadly H1N1 virus has hit all of the country?s 10 provinces affecting thousands of people.

Confirming the outbreak last week, Dr Portia Manangazira of the Epidemiology and Disease Control Unit in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare said the flu bug might be a combination of H1N1 (swine flu) and H3N2 (common cold flu).

?There is a spread of a combination of H1N1 and H3N2 countrywide but cases of common cold flu are usually reported between May and September,? said Dr Manangazira. She urged all those who show signs and symptoms of cold to seek medication as soon as possible as common cold flu can also be deadly.

?Those who show signs related to swine or common cold flu should seek immediate medication as the vaccine can be accessed countrywide,? said Dr Manangazira. It takes one to two days for the symptoms to appear and the flu lasts one to two weeks.

[...]
Much more:

http://www.sundaymail.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=19199&cat=1

[alert]

Re: Outbreak of swine flu in Matabeleland

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/apex/f?p=2400:1001:6690344934828868::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,85362

Archive Number 20101017.3768
Published Date 17-OCT-2010
Subject PRO/EDR> Influenza (08): Zimbabwe


INFLUENZA (08): ZIMBABWE
************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Sun 17 Oct 2010
Source: Sunday Mail, Zimbabwe [abbreviated & edited]
<http://www.sundaymail.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=19199&cat=1>


A life-threatening flu bug with symptoms similar to those of the deadly
H1N1 virus [that is, the 2009 pandemic A (H1N1) influenza virus] has hit
all of the country's 10 provinces, affecting thousands of people.
Confirming the outbreak last week, Dr Portia Manangazira of the
Epidemiology and Disease Control Unit in the Ministry of Health and Child
Welfare said the flu [outbreak] might be a combination of H1N1 (swine flu)
and H3N2 (common cold flu) [i.e. seasonal influenza]. "There is a spread of
a combination of H1N1 and H3N2 countrywide, but cases of common cold flu
[seasonal influenza] are usually reported between May and September," she
said. She urged all those who show signs and symptoms of cold to seek
medication as soon as possible, as common cold [seasonal] flu can also be
deadly. "Those who show signs related to swine or common cold [seasonal]
flu should seek immediate medication, as the vaccine [medication?] can be
accessed countrywide," said Dr Manangazira [Vaccine does not protect after
symptoms have developed. - Mod.CP].

"We do not have laboratory samples, and we base our surveys on signs and
symptoms to give medication. We are still using the same drug oseltamivir,
which treats both swine and [seasonal] flu to treat this bug," she said.
The symptoms of the flu bug are runny nose, sneezing, sore throat which may
lead to loss of voice, reddening of the eyes, general body ache, loss of
appetite and headaches.

Meanwhile, a suspected outbreak of the deadly H1N1 influenza virus has been
detected in Tsholotsho district [Matabeleland North province] where a total
of 300 people -- mostly school-children -- have been affected. According to
officials, 2 of the 7 preliminary tests carried out at Tsholotsho District
Hospital on Friday [15 Oct 2010] have come out positive. In a telephone
interview on Friday, the district administrator for Tsholotsho District, Mr
Themba Moyo, who is also the chairperson of the District Civil Protection
Unit, said the suspected cases have been recorded in 8 wards in the
district. The affected areas include Mbamba, Malanda, Tshitawatsha,
Dlamini, Bemba, Magama School, Nhembe and Makhazi. "Yes, we have recorded
about 300 cases of the suspected virus [2009 A/(H1N1) influenza virus] in
about 8 wards so far. Most of the cases are schoolchildren. So far, the
hospital has carried out tests on 7 of these, and the preliminary findings
point towards a possible outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus, as 2 have so
far come out positive," said Mr Moyo.

Mr Moyo said the district was appealing for assistance to contain the
outbreak. He said the district required vehicles, fuel, oxygen tanks among
other things. "We are appealing to non-governmental organisations to come
forward and assist in containing this outbreak. As a matter of urgency, we
require 2 vehicles, about 600 litres of fuel, oxygen tanks, NS fluids,"
said Mr Moyo. By midday yesterday [16 Oct 2010], NGOs had already
dispatched teams to the affected areas. The NGO's Plan International and
Medecins Sans Frontiers had already reached some of the affected areas.

Efforts to get a comment from the provincial administrator, Ms Latitso
Dlamini, were fruitless, as her mobile phone went unanswered. Dr
Manangazira, confirmed that they have received reports of the outbreak and
had already dispatched surveillance teams to the affected areas. "We are in
receipt of reports of a possible outbreak of swine flu. At the moment, the
department has dispatched teams to investigate the outbreak. We want to
take samples for testing," said Dr Manangazira. She said the outbreak
appears to be localised and expressed confidence that the teams will be
able to contain the outbreak.

Dr Manangazira said her department was yet to ascertain whether the
affected areas had been covered by the national programme of immunisation
against the virus, adding that the programme had in the period covering
July and August this year [2010] reached over a million people.

The disease control officer for Matabeleland North, Dr Efison Dlodlo, also
confirmed the outbreak. "We had 2 cases involving schoolchildren from
Magama School, who tested positive for influenza Type A. This is not swine
flu as yet, so we are in the process of carrying out further tests on those
samples to verify whether or not we have an outbreak of swine flu. He said
the teams investigating the outbreak were also giving out the
anti-influenza drug Tamiflu in those affected areas. He said the Ministry
of Health had adequate stocks of the drug.

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in
humans the symptoms of the 2009 "swine flu" (H1N1 virus) are similar to
those of influenza and of influenza-like illness in general. The 2009
outbreak has shown an increased percentage of patients reporting diarrhoea
and vomiting.

Last year [2009], the country was on high alert following a few recorded
cases of people who had contracted the virus outside Zimbabwe. The 1st case
was of an unidentified man who flew into the country from London, and the
2nd case was of a schoolboy who had gone to South Africa for a sports
tournament. These cases prompted a heightened medical alert countrywide for
swine flu, which was declared a global pandemic by the World Health
Organization (WHO).

[byline: Patience Rusare and Mduduzi Moyo]

--
communicated by:
HealthMap alerts via
ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>

[It is clear from this report that there is currently an outbreak of
influenza in all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe, in some situations (in
Tsholotsho district of Matabeleland North province) mainly affecting
children. However, in the absence of confirmatory laboratory diagnoses, the
identity of the influenza viruses involved is uncertain. The 2009 pandemic
(H1N1) virus and seasonal influenza A (H3N2) virus are suspected. However,
according to the WHO Global Surveillance Network, as of 26 Sep 2010, in
Africa influenza B viruses have been the most common (44 per cent) ,
followed by influenza A (H3) (31 per cent); see ProMED-mail archived
report: Influenza (07): USA & worldwide 20101007.3643. Precise information
is awaited.

A map of the provinces of Zimbabwe can be accessed at:
<http://www.mapsofworld.com/zimbabwe/zimbabwe-political-map.html>. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Zimbabwe is available at:
<http://healthmap.org/r/00aK>. - Mod.CP]

[Anne]

Zimbabwe - outbreak of H3N2 and H1N1

<table summary="" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td align="left"> <input value="Back" id="Back" type="button"></td></tr></tbody></table><table id="apex_layout_271110100662109808" class="formlayout" summary="" border="0"><tbody><tr><td align="right" nowrap="nowrap">
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</td></tr><tr><td align="right" nowrap="nowrap">
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" align="left" nowrap="nowrap">we had a new about an outbreak of H3N2 and H1N1 in zimbabwe
</td></tr><tr><td align="right" nowrap="nowrap">
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A ProMED-mail post <http://www.promedmail.org> ProMED-mail is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org> Date: Sun 17 Oct 2010 Source: Sunday Mail, Zimbabwe [abbreviated & edited] <http://www.sundaymail.co.zw/inside.a...id=19199&cat=1> A life-threatening flu bug with symptoms similar to those of the deadly H1N1 virus [that is, the 2009 pandemic A (H1N1) influenza virus] has hit all of the country's 10 provinces, affecting thousands of people. Confirming the outbreak last week, Dr Portia Manangazira of the Epidemiology and Disease Control Unit in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare said the flu [outbreak] might be a combination of H1N1 (swine flu) and H3N2 (common cold flu) [i.e. seasonal influenza]. "There is a spread of a combination of H1N1 and H3N2 countrywide, but cases of common cold flu [seasonal influenza] are usually reported between May and September," she said. She urged all those who show signs and symptoms of cold to seek medication as soon as possible, as common cold [seasonal] flu can also be deadly. "Those who show signs related to swine or common cold [seasonal] flu should seek immediate medication, as the vaccine [medication?] can be accessed countrywide," said Dr Manangazira [Vaccine does not protect after symptoms have developed. - Mod.CP]. "We do not have laboratory samples, and we base our surveys on signs and symptoms to give medication. We are still using the same drug oseltamivir, which treats both swine and [seasonal] flu to treat this bug," she said. The symptoms of the flu bug are runny nose, sneezing, sore throat which may lead to loss of voice, reddening of the eyes, general body ache, loss of appetite and headaches. Meanwhile, a suspected outbreak of the deadly H1N1 influenza virus has been detected in Tsholotsho district [Matabeleland North province] where a total of 300 people -- mostly school-children -- have been affected. According to officials, 2 of the 7 preliminary tests carried out at Tsholotsho District Hospital on Friday [15 Oct 2010] have come out positive. In a telephone interview on Friday, the district administrator for Tsholotsho District, Mr Themba Moyo, who is also the chairperson of the District Civil Protection Unit, said the suspected cases have been recorded in 8 wards in the district. The affected areas include Mbamba, Malanda, Tshitawatsha, Dlamini, Bemba, Magama School, Nhembe and Makhazi. "Yes, we have recorded about 300 cases of the suspected virus [2009 A/(H1N1) influenza virus] in about 8 wards so far. Most of the cases are schoolchildren. So far, the hospital has carried out tests on 7 of these, and the preliminary findings point towards a possible outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus, as 2 have so far come out positive," said Mr Moyo.

snip

I have find it in french, about the situation in the region



translation :

BULAWAYO, May 4, 2010 (IRIN) - In Zimbabwe, Binga District, located in the province of Matabeleland North, the dilapidated road infrastructure has prevented teams of spreading anti-malaria reach the area and is blamed a resurgence of the disease transmitted by mosquitoes.

Health officials told IRIN that hospitals and clinics in this district alone, wet the Zambezi valley on the border with Zambia, had recorded 90 percent of malaria cases in the province this year, 4500 cases during the last four months, causing 14 deaths.

The economic crisis in Zimbabwe has prevented the improvement or maintenance of a large portion of existing road infrastructure, while the flooding rivers have limited the ability of teams from the Ministry of Health to conduct preventive spraying on areas hosting and mosquito breeding grounds such as stagnant water, particularly in rural areas.
Dr.

snip

Hazangue said the Department of Health and Child Welfare had set up training of malaria management for nurses in rural clinics and satellite clinics were established in the districts of Lupane, Hwange , Tsholotsho and Nkayi.

Drug distribution

Hehoped that the distribution by the department of medical equipment and medicines to hospitals and clinics in remote Binga would help contain the epidemic, although the poor condition of roads remains a barrier, especially during the rains.




</pre>

[Anne]

Re: Zimbabwe

I have some troubles with the links and my mouse :
here the link : http://www.irinnews.org/fr/ReportFre...ReportId=89020

here with schools : http://www.irinnews.org/fr/ReportFre...ReportId=89978

This patient education system, which was once a model for all of sub-Saharan Africa, collapsed and almost collapsed under the weight of economic and political crises of the last 10 years: widespread food shortages, hyperinflation, epidemics cholera and nearly a year of teachers' strike in 2008 have terribly weakened the standard of education.

It is not uncommon to see 10 students share the same manual, and although the government has significantly reduced school fees in 2009, increasing poverty is that despite this reduction in fees in public schools, thousands of children have no access.

snip snip

We do not have vehicles to go around and inspect the district schools, as was the case when the economy was still good. However, I am pleased that the Minister of Finance [Tendai Biti] has recently allocated to my department money to buy 40 vehicles to tour the country. "

here WHO http://www.who.int/gho/countries/zwe.pdf

so, the situation is globally not good : life expectancy : 42 ans, many childrens are dying before 5 Years, infrastructures are inexistants ( no roads for example )

[tetano]

Re: Zimbabwe - An outbreak of influenza with symptoms similar to those of the H1N1 virus has hit all of the country?s 10 provinces

MORE people have tested positive for the swine flu virus in Tsholotsho District amid reports that some pupils in the district have missed examinations.
This was revealed by the head of Epidemiology and Disease Control in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Portia Mananganzira yesterday.
"We have had a few more cases that have tested positive to the virus from the 300 cases we were monitoring. This might point to the possibility of an outbreak," said Dr Mananganzira.
She could not be drawn into disclosing the actual figure of new cases but said statistics were still being gathered and would be ready by today.
Dr Mananganzira said the department has since activated an integrated rapid response team drawn from various Government departments in a bid to contain the outbreak.

...

http://www.chronicle.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=13230&cat=1

[tetano]

Re: Zimbabwe - An outbreak of influenza with symptoms similar to those of the H1N1 virus has hit all of the country?s 10 provinces

BULAWAYO ? Public gatherings in Tsholotsho in Matabeleland North could be temporarily banned this week following an outbreak of the deadly H1N1 influenza that has reportedly claimed one life at Mkhubazi Primary school.
Provincial medical director for Matabeleland North Province, Dr Patrick Hazangue could not be reached on Friday to verify the death report.
However Themba Moyo, Tsholotsho District Administrator on Friday told The Standard that they were mulling banning gatherings to mitigate the spread of the disease.
?At present there are ongoing drought relief programmes in the district and that issue (of temporarily banning) public gatherings would be discussed on Monday,? said Moyo.
Symptoms of the deadly virus that sparked worldwide panic last year have been detected in more than 300 pupils and 31 teachers from 29 primary schools .



A total of 350 cases have been reported from 29 primary schools in the district.
Mkhubazi Primary school had 215 pupils and 13 teachers who received treatment.

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/local/27067-schools-hit-by-h1n1-influenza.html

[tetano]

Re: Zimbabwe - An outbreak of influenza with symptoms similar to those of the H1N1 virus has hit all of the country?s 10 provinces

At least 2.000 in quarantine under suspicion of infection with flu A

The government of Zimbabue has begun to put in quarantine more than 2.000 persons who are suspected they are infected by the flu AH1N1, known previously as porcine flu, in remote areas of the west of the country, he informed today the state radio. The populations of Tsholotsho and Hwangeos are being submitted to medical examinations and the supposedly affected ones with the virus of the flu A are isolated in an effort to contain his expansion, according to the boradcasting station. The number of affected persons there is almost sextuplicado from last week, when 300 cases were taken into account, and since then a mortal victim has registered, according to the way, which he quotes to the director of the Department of Epidemiolog?a of the department of Health zimbabuense, Portia Manangazira, who confirmed in 2.000 the entire number of infected. This is the last blow that has received the system of public health of Zimbabue, which does not manage to recover after a decade of severe economic problems. Two years ago, the country registered an epidemic sprout of rage, which caused the death of 4.000 persons, whereas the measles have infected more than 11.000 children, 570 of which have died, from last September. The districts of Tsholotsho and Hwange affected by the sprout of flu A,
adjacent to the renowned National Park of Hwange, are remote areas of the arid western end of Zimbabue. According to reports of the local press, many pupils of primary and of secondary of the region they could not have produced his examinations of end of course because they are sick. Doctors Sin Frontera (MSF) there is one of the international agencies of assistance that zimbabuenses are already helping the sanitary authorities to try to contain the extension of this sprout of flu AH1N1.

http://www.adn.es/internacional/20101025/NWS-1319-cuarentena-infeccion-sospecha-personas-gripe.html

[tetano]

Re: Zimbabwe - An outbreak of influenza with symptoms similar to those of the H1N1 virus has hit all of the country?s 10 provinces

Swine flu cases found in rural western Zimbabwe


More than 2,000 cases of suspected swine flu have been recorded in Zimbabwe ?s remote western district of Tsholotsho, and one person has already died.Health workers fighting the outbreak are meeting unusual resistance ? villagers believe the virus is caused by witchcraft.

Medecins Sans Frontieres is reported to be on the ground trying to fight Zimbabwe ?s latest public health crisis.

Medical workers are using a social distancing strategy to try to contain the H1N1 outbreak. Schoolchildren believed to be infected are sitting their exams in separate classrooms.

In one rural school in Tsholotsho district 95 percent of the children may have got the H1N1 virus. Children appear to be the ones who are bearing the brunt of this crisis.

Late last week, more than 1,000 children with suspected H1N1 were treated in Matabeleland North province.

So contagious is this virus that the authorities have even taken the decision to call off a local modelling competition. The problem out in this rural area is the time it takes to get samples tested, because they have to be sent to South Africa for confirmation.

Teams are encountering resistance from villagers who believe the virus is caused by witchcraft and are reluctant to get treatment.

Health workers fighting the recent measles outbreak also met resistance as some members of a local religious sect do not believe in conventional medicine.

http://www.english.rfi.fr/africa/20101027-swine-flu-cases-rural-western-zimbabwe

[tetano]

Re: Zimbabwe - An outbreak of influenza with symptoms similar to those of the H1N1 virus has hit all of the country?s 10 provinces


Influenza outbreak worries residents of Tsholotsho


Influenza outbreak worries residents of Tsholotsho

By Sukulwenkosi Dube



THE influenza outbreak that has killed one person in Tsholotsho District since the first cases were reported some three weeks ago has caused immense suffering to the people in the area.
The suffering is worsened by the fact that some infected villagers were being turned away from local clinics because of failure to pay to enable them to access medication. While children aged below five receive free treatment from clinics, controlling the spread of the virus may not be possible if some older people do not get medication.
On Monday, Mrs Patience Mpala (22) of Matsiba Line in Ward 22 said she had been sick for a week. Her one-year-old child had also been down with flu for two weeks. She had only managed to get medication for her child because she did not have a R20 fee that is required by the clinics.


...

http://www.chronicle.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=13526&cat=10

[tetano]

Re: Zimbabwe - An outbreak of flu A (H1N1) has hit all of the country?s 10 provinces

Bulawayo Bureau

The Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture has made provisions for children affected by the Influenza A outbreak in Tsholotsho to write public examinations while quarantined.

Matabeleland North provincial education director Mrs Boithatelo Mnguni said infected pupils who can sit through an examination are allowed to write and without a time limit.

"They are given separate rooms where they can write without infecting other children. They are allowed to write at their own pace and the examination time limit is not taken into consideration," she said.

She said two pupils from Magana Secondary School failed to write Ndebele Paper One yesterday due to illness.

"Six pupils from Dikili, were also reported to be seriously ill, although it could not be established if they were able to write," Mrs Mnguni said.


...

http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=4281&cat=1

[tetano]

Re: Zimbabwe - An outbreak of flu A (H1N1) has hit all of the country?s 10 provinces

HARARE ? More than 2 000 suspected cases of the Influenza A (H1N1) or swine flu virus have been reported in Tsholotsho district but officials have to contend with more than just a deadly outbreak ? they face the difficult task of breaking deep-seated superstitions and overcoming administrative hurdles.
At least one person has died since the outbreak, which has affected mostly children, was first detected last month. Health workers fighting the outbreak are however meeting unusual resistance from villagers who believe the virus is caused by
witchcraft and are refusing to get treatment.
The outbreak has even affected the conduct of the 2010 final school examinations. Education officials in the area have been forced to introduce ?quarantined exam classes? for infected school children. In one school, more than 95 percent of the children are believed to be infected by the H1N1 virus. A previous swine flu outbreak claimed more than 40 lives in 2009 and
affected more than 300 people.
The flu that alarmed the world when the first cases were detected in Mexico in April 2009 before quickly spreading to other parts of the world has claimed hundreds of lives to date. Zimbabwe recorded its first confirmed cases of swine flu August 2009 at a school in east of the country.
Quick action by the then newly formed unity government of President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, the University of Zimbabwe and the World Health Organisation (WHO) helped prevent a major epidemic in country.

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35232:-tsholotsho-swine-flu-nightmare&catid=70:sunday-issue

[tetano]

Re: Zimbabwe - An outbreak of flu A (H1N1) has hit all of the country?s 10 provinces

Five cases of a new epidemic of pig flu
they were diagnosed in the capital of the Zimbabwe, Harare, it announced it on Tuesday
radio nacional.segundo the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), quoting authorities
sanitary, other supposed cases were notifiados in several places of the country. The pig flu is declared regularmente in the country there are some years, in spite of
no death to have been registered up to now. According to the ZBC, the Ministry of Health was prepared for this epidemic and
it placed medical teams in alert, as well as it has stocks sufficient of
medicines to do face to the epidemic.

http://www.panapress.com/freenewspor.asp?code=por015422&dte=09/11/2010

[tetano]

Re: Zimbabwe - An outbreak of flu A (H1N1) has hit all of the country?s 10 provinces

Swine flu hits Masvingo

A suspected swine flu outbreak has been detected in the Ngomahuru area, about 30km west of Masvingo town, a senior health official has confirmed.

Provincial medical director in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare Robert Mudyiradima said 191 cases of the H1N1 virus that causes the disease were detected at Ngomahuru Hospital early this week.

?A suspected swine flu outbreak has been recorded and 191 people were treated. Some were transferred to Masvingo General Hospital where they were treated and discharged,? said Mudyiradima.

He said medical specimens have been sent to South Africa to determine if it is the disease, although the symptoms made them believe it was indeed swine flu.

?We are still trying to verify if it is swine flu, although the symptoms suggest that. We have since sent some samples for tests to South Africa and we are yet to get the results.?

Symptoms of swine flu include fever, coughing, vomiting, fatigue, headaches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Mudyiradima said no fatalities were recorded as the health authorities moved in swiftly to control further spread of the disease.

?No deaths were recorded as our health teams reacted fast to the outbreak. We managed to contain the disease and the situation is under control. We are however continuing with health education and our surveillance teams are still on the ground.?

http://www.newsday.co.zw/article/2010-11-23-swine-flu-hits-masvingo