What first time event has occurred in South Africa with regards to the swine flu?”
AIDS-ravaged South Africa on Monday announced its first swine flu victim as Indian media reported a first death on the sub-continent and Russia warned football fans not to travel to Wales. As the pandemic sows ever-deeper fears for public health across more territories, South African health authorities said an otherwise healthy student had succumbed after testing positive for the A(H1N1) virus. The 22-year-old becomes the first fatality due to swine flu in sub-Saharan Africa. “He died on the 28th (of July), but there had to be some testing done to ensure the cause of death. It was the A(H1N1) influenza,” said Fidel Hadebe, spokesman for the department of health. Western Cape health minister Theuns Botha said the man had no underlying health problems. With the world’s highest number of HIV/AIDS-affected people at nearly 19 percent of a 49 million population, South Africa is particularly at risk given that those with compromised immunity are more likely to fall prey to the disease. South
Health officials say that a college student has become the first South African to die from swine flu. The 22-year-old male student from the University of Stellenbosch, near Cape Town, died July 28 after being sick for a week. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that the H1N1 virus was confirmed as the cause of death Monday.
Health officials say that a college student has become the first South African to die from swine flu. The 22-year-old male student from the University of Stellenbosch, near Cape Town, died July 28 after being sick for a week. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that the H1N1 virus was confirmed as the cause of death Monday. The student went to the campus clinic with flu symptoms but was later admitted to a private hospital. He was treated for pneumonia but did not recover. There have been more than 500 swine flu cases reported in South Africa since mid-June. Some schools in Johannesburg have temporarily closed after pupils tested positive for swine flu.
