Rhiza Labs FluTracker Forum

Prof Barry Schoub, director of the NICD, said the death toll was still very low compared to the number of people infected with the virus. “Thousands of people have been infected so far but only 83 have died,” he said.

APA - Cape Town (South Africa) World health experts believe South Africa is one of the most vulnerable countries to the H1N1 virus, APA learnt Monday here.

Health experts attended an H1N1 symposium in Johannesburg on Monday as the world prepares for a fresh outbreak of the deadly virus.

There were more than 13,000 confirmed cases of swine flu in South Africa in recent months, and 91 deaths. But the experts reckon that could just be the start.

Research from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) shows some alarming trends. More than half the H1N1 fatalities were among people who were HIV positive.

Given the level of HIV infection in the country, that makes South Africa a particularly strong target for the H1N1 strain.

NICD director Professor Barry Schoub said "there is a lot of travel and the virus will be re-introduced to South Africa."

I think we can expect there will be an introduction before the winter season, and how extensively it will spread once it's introduced, that we really don't know, "he pointed out.

More than a quarter of the fatalities were also pregnant. The South African Health Department says it is presently trying to secure a million vaccine doses.

SA ready for swine flu 2010
Vaccination highly advised
Feb 7, 2010 | By NKOSANA LEKOTJOLO

Although Britain has decided to close its swine flu crisis unit, South Africa will be on high alert throughout the coming Fifa World Cup.

Britain was one of the first countries hit by swine flu but said last week that it planned to shut down its National Pandemic Flu Service, with health officials reporting a steady decrease in new swine flu cases.

In contrast, South African health officials have instructed the National and Provincial Outbreak Response Teams to continue monitor swine flu cases. Dr Frew Benson, cluster manager for communicable diseases at the national department of health, said the country is putting measures in place to deal with swine flu and the upcoming flu season.

The country will embark on a national swine flu vaccination drive from March, before the start of flu season and the World Cup kick-off. About 1.3million doses of swine flu vaccine have been ordered to deal with the expected outbreak.

The country will embark on a national swine flu vaccination drive from March, before the start of flu season and the World Cup kick-off. About 1.3million doses of swine flu vaccine have been ordered to deal with the expected outbreak.

Although no new swine flu cases have been reported in the country this year, in 2009, 91 people died from the virus, which claimed almost 6000 lives worldwide.

Tourists visiting South Africa have been advised to be vaccinated in their home countries against swine flu and measles.

Yesterday Benson told The Times that the department will also embark on national measles and polio campaigns in April. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, 420 measles cases have been reported in South Africa and the disease has already claimed three lives. The Eastern Cape has been hardest hit with 108 cases, followed by Gauteng with 84 and KwaZulu-Natal with 67.

Gauteng department of health spokesman Mandla Sidu said the province is ready for the possibility of a measles outbreak. The health department has advised parents to vaccinate their children against measles.

Latam »Football» World »World 2010 World Cup 2010
Schweinsteiger is still with flu, but may be against Serbia
June 16, 2010 • 08h41 June 16, 2010 • Comments 06h41
0Noticia
German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is still with the flu, did not participate in training on Wednesday after not having done on Tuesday, but will play Friday against Serbia, said the coaching staff of the European runners.

"Bastian is better, but we decided not to train today (Wednesday), so he will stay at the hotel for a workout room, as a precautionary measure," said Hansi Flick, assistant Joachim Loew.

"Given the evolution of the situation, do not worry.'s Going to be in the game (against Serbia)," he added.

Schweinsteiger, 25, is suffering a little flu since the beginning of the week, coinciding with falling temperatures in the region of Pretoria, where the team is concentrated.

The Bayern Munich in the absence of injured Michael Ballack, the''pattern''of the German midfield shined with Sami Khedira in Sunday's win in the opener against Australia (4-0).

The Nationalmannschaft''faces''in the second round of Group D to Serbia on Friday in Port Elizabeth (11:30 GMT).

Johannesburg - The winter flu season has started and the number of cases is expected to increase in the next two to three weeks, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said on Friday.

The institute's Nombuso Shabalala said in a statement that the current number of flu cases was "low to moderate".

She said the influenza virus strains identified to date were mainly the usual seasonal influenza B strain and influenza A.

Only one case of the H1N1 viral strain, also known as swine-flu, had been isolated so far.

.............continues

Someone, indicated that the travel log for whats in Singapore, ( in a PM based on available information) showed it came from the US. It will be interesting to see if the same is indicated in S A.
Sorry to be so cryptic, I am never sure what to do with the info in a PM.

A pregnant Gauteng woman has contracted the H1N1 virus, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said on Monday.

"...But this is nothing, its not big news and is not unexpected," head of epidemiology Dr Lucille Blumberg told Sapa.

"We can even expect to see more cases this flu season."

Blumberg said the public should not expect a pandemic like last year, when 93 people died from the flu in South Africa, as there were a number of different strains.

"There are a number of different strains, and one is just the H1N1... people need to use their opportunity to get vaccinations. But really, this is nothing to make any fuss over."

The woman was in a undisclosed hospital and was in a good condition.

"She is just fine, just fine," she said.