Swine Flu hits Kenya

By James Ratemo

One case of the dreaded Swine Flu has now been reported in the country.Health Minister Beth Mugo yesterday confirmed the first case of the disease in the country.

She is expected to brief the press at 11.30 today on the details of the case.

Kenya now joins South Africa, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast and Cape Verde as countries affected in the Sub-Saharan Africa.

Fears have been rife since Saturday when a 20-year-old Kenyan woman, who studies in London, visited a private health clinic in the Nairobi on Friday displaying symptoms of H1N1 flu.

However, test results proved negative for the virus.

South Africa last week became the first sub-Saharan African country to confirm a case of swine flu. Since then, Ethiopia, the Ivory Coast and Cape Verde have reported cases.

The World Health Organization says many African nations are particularly vulnerable due to poor health care systems, poverty and the presence of other respiratory illnesses, such as tuberculosis and Asthma.

According to the WHO's latest figures, released Friday, there have been 59,814 cases of swine flu and 263 deaths worldwide.

 

 

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