A total of six deaths and 3 485 cases of swine flu were confirmed in South Africa on Monday, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said.
”As at August 17 2009, there are 3 485 laboratory-confirmed cases of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009, ‘swine flu’, in South Africa,” the NICD said in a statement.
”Six A H1N1-related deaths have been confirmed. Four of the cases had no underlying conditions, while one patient was pregnant and another was pregnant and diabetic.”
The majority of cases remained mild, the institute said.
”It is important that pandemic influenza A H1N1 be considered in the diagnosis of any persons with moderate or severe influenza-like illness, including healthy young persons with progressive pneumonia, and appropriate treatment needs to be instituted.
”In addition, early treatment with antiretrovirals is advised for people with moderate and severe influenza-like illnesses who are pregnant, those living with HIV and Aids, and those with chronic medical conditions including chronic lung disease and diabetes,” said the NICD.
Three deaths were confirmed at the weekend and two of these were pregnant women, the health ministry said earlier.
The three were from KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape.
The country’s first H1N1 victim reported was 22-year-old Stellenbosch University student Ruan Muller. The second swine flu death was of a 15-year-old boy from Bloemfontein and the third, a 42-year-old man from the Western Cape.
Health officials urged people not to panic but said high risk patients needed to be cautious.
Those with mild symptoms need medical attention if they started experiencing shortness of breath, chest pain, persistent vomiting, diarrhoea and severe drowsiness or loss of consciousness.
The Eastern Cape’s health department on Monday said its confirmed number of swine flu cases stood at 88, while KwaZulu-Natal reported 296 cases. — Sapa