Swine flu in Kenya
By JAMES RATEMO, THE STANDARD www.standardmedia.co.ke

NAIROBI – June 29, 2009 - Kenya has joined the global swine fever watch-list after a visiting British student became the first to be diagnosed with the flu.

The good news is that medical experts generally consider this flu ‘a relatively mild illness’ and consequently the Public Health minister assures the country the government has capacity to deal with it. Mrs Beth Mugo also asks the nation not to panic and to "shun rumours."

In between the bad and good news is a gap of uncertainty – the 20-year-old boy was in the company of 34 British students who have been in Kenya for a week and are now quarantined at a hotel in Kisumu.

Airports countrywide remained on high alert, with all air travellers requested to fill the H1N1 surveillance form.

So far United States of America leads with 21,449 reported cases and 87 deaths followed by Mexico with 8279 cases but 116 deaths. United Kingdom so far has reported 4,289 cases with one patient succumbing.

Current vaccines

Kenyans were also warned the current flu vaccines do not cushion one against the new H1N1. "I wish to inform Kenyans that it is most likely that there will be more cases of H1N1 in Kenya...it should be noted that this disease is treatable and usually can resolve on its own,’’ said the minister before giving the global infection rates which show the deaths are minimal.

Depending on the outcome of the tests if it will be necessary to carry them on the rest of the students, the figure could go up or stagnate. Health personnel meanwhile are tracking those who had contact with the British students and have been publicly notified that to go for testing —and treatment if they test positive — if they suffer flu-like symptoms.

The party landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Sunday June 21 aboard a Virgin Atlantic flight from London and travelled to Kisumu aboard a bus driven by a Kenyan. Two days later the boy developed headache and joint pains.

"On Wednesday his girlfriend in Nottingham, United Kingdom, who had been in close contact with him earlier in the UK called and informed him that she had tested positive for influenza A (H1N1) also known as swine flu," said the minister.

She went on: "The British national who happens to be a medical, visited one of our facilities and samples were taken and brought to Nairobi on Sunday 2:30pm for testing. The sample was tested CDC-Kemri and the National Influenza Centre (laboratories in Nairobi. The sample tested positive for Influenza A (H1N1) – Swine Flu – in both laboratories.’’

The public also ought to know the main signs of Swine Flu: fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, chills and fatigue, sore throat and runny nose, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhoea.

Precautionary measure

Mugo said Kenya has stocked 50,000 doses of Tamiflu – an effective Swine Flu cure - worth Sh61million donated by World Health Organisation only two weeks ago as a precautionary measure.

She, however, was quick to allay fears of a possible epidemic saying the identified case was mild and not "so dangerous" to warrant panic. On Saturday, Nairobi was gripped by a Swine Flu scare but the minister reported tests showed the case was a hoax.

It is different from Monday’s case. And on Monday Mugo said: "Since this confirmation, my officers have been monitoring the student. His condition is stable and does not require hospitalisation."

The student, whose identity was not revealed, went for medical check up in one of the health facilities and samples were taken to Nairobi.

"We have embarked on tracing any contacts the student has made while in Kenya. If any of the contacts will exhibit flu-like symptoms, they will be tested and if found positive, they will be appropriately managed."

Virgin Atlantic marketing co-ordinator Priya Chana said the airline was unaware of the case and was yet to be contacted by the Ministry of Health. "Unless we get the name of the said passenger it is hard to confirm whether he travelled with us," she said.

Kenya now joins South Africa, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast and Cape Verde as countries affected in Sub-Saharan Africa. Fears had been rife since Saturday when a 20-year-old Kenyan woman, who studies in London, displayed symptoms of H1N1 flu. However, test results proved negative.

Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (MESHA)

The Arab Science Journalists' Association (ASJA) has partnered with the United States ' National Association of Science Writers (NASW) to present the first ever joint bid between two associations to host a World Conference of Science Journalists. The conference would be held in Cairo .

 

The Arab Science Journalists' Association	National Association of Science Writers

From Helsinki ( Finland ), the Finnish Association of Science Editors and Journalists (FASEJ) proposes to host the 2011 Conference at the University of Helsinki City Campus from 28th June to 2nd July 2011.

 

Finnish Association of Science Editors and Journalists

And the Uganda Science Journalists Association (USJA), one of the first two African bids, is determined to host the Conference in March or April 2011, in Kampala .

 

Uganda Science Journalists Association

You are most welcome to hear the arguments of the four bidders when they present to the Board of the World Federation, on Monday 29th June from 1600 to 1745 in the Ondaatje Lecture Theatre at the Royal Geographical Society, in South Kensington, London , UK .

The Board of the World Federation of Science Journalists will announce the winning bid and the location of the 2011 World Conference during the WFSJ General Assembly, Wednesday 1st July at 1630 in the John Tudor room, 2nd floor of the Conference venue, Central Hall Westminster, during the 6th World Conference of Science Journalists, beginning 29th June 2009, in London, United Kingdom.