Swine flu scare as disease hits KZN

Article via IOL News :

" The Health Department has played down fears of a new outbreak of the Novel Influenza A (H1N1) virus – commonly known as swine flu – despite at leat 100 cases of it across KwaZulu-Natal.

One woman is thought to have died as a result of the virus after spending several days in isolated care at a Durban hospital.

A well-placed source at the Netcare hospital in Durban, who asked not to be named, said that the woman had tested positive for the H1N1 virus while undergoing treatment for another ailment.

“She contracted the H1N1 strain and sadly she died while she was being treated for it. Her death has been attributed to her underlying pathology but not swine flu, despite testing positive for the virus,” the source said. The woman had cancer.

Netcare spokeswoman Mary Ann Nabbie said that there had been two suspected cases but only one patient had tested positive."

Swine flu death toll rises in Mexico

Via IOL :

" The death toll in Mexico from an outbreak of A(H1N1) swine flu has hit nine, with 573 cases detected, officials said on Sunday.

The strain represents 90 percent of detected cases of influenza in the country, the health ministry said in a statement.

The number of cases reported was up sharply from Thursday, when health officials said 333 had been identified.

Authorities have brushed aside suggestions of a new health emergency but have begun tracking new cases since December."

Cholera claims more lives in Mali

Via IOL News :

" Bamako : A cholera outbreak in Mali in July left 19 dead and over 200 infected in the north and centre of the country, health authorities said on Wednesday.

Boubacar Bogoba Diarra of the health ministry said that from July 16 to July 25, 223 cases of cholera were detected in the Mopti and Timbuktu regions, while 19 people died.

He added that 114 cases and 11 deaths were recorded in Mopti, while in the Timbuktu area there were 79 cases and eight deaths."

Zimbabwe : Probe into malaria cases in Zim cities

Via IOL News :

" Scientists are investigating reports of confirmed malaria cases in two Zimbabwean cities, Zimbabwe's Herald Online reported on Monday.

This followed reports that some people who never left Harare and Bulawayo had their blood samples examined and confirmed that they were suffering from malaria.

Speaking at a Global Fund conference, information and education officer in the ministry Fortunate Manjoro confirmed that there had been cases of people who never travelled outside the capital cities being diagnosed with the disease.

“The malaria stratification map needs new work as movements of people may have changed the scenario in which there were places like Harare and Bulawayo, which were known to be non-malaria transmission zones... but now there have been cases of malaria among people who have never travelled outside the cities,” she said.

“This may be an indication that the two areas are now also malaria transmission zones."