KZN swine flu case inconclusive
According to the statement the man with a history of travelling to Swaziland had presented with bronchitis and was hospitalised in a KwaZulu Natal hospital where he was given treatment. He developed respiratory distress and passed away on Thursday, last week.
Tests were carried out in a private laboratory and a sample later referred to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) to determine whether the case was related to the H1N1 influenza.
‘Due to the insufficient specimen, the cause of death in this regard cannot conclusively be attributed to swine flu,’ the statement said.
The health department has confirmed that 22 year old Ruan Muller, a Stellenbosch University student is presently the only definite fatality from the virus.
It has appealed to the public not to panic but to assist the department in managing the pandemic.
Members of the public are advised to practice basic hygiene in the form of covering coughs and sneezes as well as regular washing of hands.
The department of health has urged those who develop flu like symptoms accompanied with difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest, sudden dizziness, confusion, sever or persistent vomiting to seek immediate medical assistance.
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