Zimbabwe Swine Flu (A/H1N1), July 9 +

[Kassy]

Zimbabwe: Swine Flu Hits Harare



Harare — TWO cases of the deadly H1N1, swine flu virus have been detected in Harare. The first was in a visiting Asian man who recently arrived in Zimbabwe while the other was an 18-year-old local squash player who also tested positive for the virus after travelling to South Africa for a tournament.

Government has, however, said it was ready to deal with the virus and there was no need for anyone to panic. Swine flu, which has been detected on all six continents, was declared a pandemic on June 11, making it the first global flu epidemic in 41 years.

Public health officials confirmed yesterday that a man of Asian origin who recently arrived in Zimbabwe from London had tested positive for the virus and was currently quarantined at a house in Belvedere.

Sources indicated fellow residents of at the London house where the Asian man stayed also tested positive for swine flu.

"He is being kept in quarantine so that the disease does not spread. He is still in the country.

"He is at a house in Belvedere," said a source in the public health sector.

The Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Henry Madzorera, confirmed the case of the 18-year-old Zimbabwe squash player.

"Yes, there is an 18-year-old athlete playing squash who, among others, was diagnosed with the infection. He is being treated in South Africa," Minister Madzorera said.

The minister said the athlete was part of a group that had tested positive.

He said Government was now investigating whether the athlete contracted the disease here or in South Africa.

On the Asian man he said: "I cannot confirm the other case. We do not have the details yet."

Minister Madzorera promised to issue a comprehensive statement on swine flu today.

He, however, said the country was well prepared to fight the epidemic.

"We have 21 400 courses of drugs to treat swine flu. These are enough to treat 21 400 people. That is what we are holding just in case anything happens," he said.

Minister Madzorera said the World Health Organisation provided the drugs to help fight the disease globally.

He said his ministry was intensifying surveillance at the country's borders, airports, communities and local clinics.

Minister Madzorera said WHO had also provided protective clothing for doctors and nurses.

"In terms of preparedness (to fight the disease), we are prepared," he said.

Infections in the United States, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere have climbed to over 30 000 cases.

The last pandemic -- the Hong Kong flu of 1968 -- killed about one million people.

Ordinary flu kills about 250 000 to 500 000 each year.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200907090756.html

[Kassy]

Zimbabwe: Doctors Remain on Strike Increasing Fears Around Swine Flu Pandemic

Doctors in Zimbabwe have vowed to remain on strike until the unity government addresses their salary grievances. This is increasing concerns about the impact of the swine flu pandemic, in a country that already has an unacceptably high death rate in the hospitals.

Poverty, disease and overburdened health systems make Africa an easy target for the H1N1 influenza virus, commonly referred to as swine flu, which health experts say will be difficult to track as it spreads across the continent. Africa is the last continent to be hit by the virus that has killed over a thousand people around the world, since it was first detected in April in Mexico.

So far the continent's death toll remains small, with six killed in South Africa, three in Mauritius, and one in Egypt. Botswana, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia and Swaziland also have medically confirmed cases, but experts say the disease could be spreading undetected in more countries, due to a lack of medical facilities across the continent. Many African countries are already affected by immune-weakening illnesses like Aids, making them more susceptible to new viruses. In a country like Zimbabwe, where the health sector is slowly starting to recover after collapsing last year, even minor illnesses carry a potential death sentence.

The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) has said the strike is also undermining efforts to recover the once effective health system in the country. The Association's Dr Douglas Gwatidzo on Tuesday said that a prolonged strike would ultimately result in "increased morbidity and preventable deaths."

"While it is the Government's duty to ensure that Zimbabweans have available, accessible and quality health care, doctors also have a responsibility to contribute towards this realisation of the right to health." Dr Gwatidzo said.

Efforts to end the strike failed last week, with striking doctors dismissing promises to amend their monthly allowances. Many doctors last week joined the two week long strike action by junior doctors, demanding higher salaries and the restoration of allowances, which had been withdrawn last month by the government. The Health Service Board has since said that allowances for items such as accommodation, uniforms and night duty had not been included in doctors' monthly salaries 'in error' and would be restored. But doctors have vowed to remain on strike, until the government heeds their call for an upward review of their salaries.

"We are still waiting for a solid decision from the government. If it refuses to honour our request we cannot return to work," said the head of the Hospital Doctors Association, Brighton Chizhande on Monday.

Experts meanwhile have also warned that Africa lacks the money to effectively combat the spread of swine flu. World Health Organisation (WHO) regional director Luis Gomes Sambo warned last week that the agency had already had US$31m shortfall in its African response plan.

"So far only $700 000 has been made available and it will be difficult to shift funds already earmarked for other public health programmes," Sambo said.

The WHO has set up a crisis management team in Brazzaville to help countries monitor the disease and ensure cases are detected early. This team will have support centres in Zimbabwe, Gabon and Burkina Faso. Dr Gwatidzo on Tuesday said Zimbabwe was 'fairly prepared' for the spread of swine flu in the country, explaining that consignments of flu-drugs used to fight the virus have arrived and are being prescribed in Zimbabwe. He said that so far, swine flu cases have only been diagnosed at private medical institutions, and acknowledged that the spread of the disease through public hospitals is a worry.

"Right now, with patient distribution being what it is, the institutions that can manage this disease are doing so," Dr Gwatidzo said. "What happens if this disease spreads into poorer areas is a different matter."

http://allafrica.com/stories/200908180716.html

[Mama Alanna]

Experts meanwhile have also warned that Africa lacks the money to effectively combat the spread of swine flu. World Health Organisation (WHO) regional director Luis Gomes Sambo warned last week that the agency had already had US$31m shortfall in its African response plan.

"So far only $700 000 has been made available and it will be difficult to shift funds already earmarked for other public health programmes," Sambo said.

And who is supposed to provide all this money? Good old Uncle Sucker? It IS listed in US$, after all.

Not only can we NOT be the entire world's policeman, we cannot be the entire world's unlimited bank account -- for ANYTHING.

[Kassy]

Zim doctors’ strike continues despite bird flu cases

Written by Kingsley Kaswende in Harare, Zimbabwe


ZIMBABWEAN doctors have pressed on with their strike despite cases of A H1N1 virus that have been recorded in the eastern town of Mutare.

Health and child welfare minister Dr Henry Madzorera told journalists at a press briefing on Thursday afternoon that five cases of type A H1N1 virus had been recorded at an elite private school in Mutare, a town near the border with Mozambique.

Dr Mazorera said the country had been placed on high alert.

He said the cases were recorded at Hillcrest Primary School although the victims, aged five to 10, had already been treated with the drug Tamiflu.

He said a flu outbreak at the school early this month prompted health officials to investigate and 27 samples were taken for investigation.

Five tested positive for Influenza Type A, meaning the patients could have contracted either avian or swine flu.

He said further tests were done to determine if the virus was A H1N1 and the five tested positive.

"The National Virology lab scientists have been conducting investigations, which included at total of 27 tests, five of which tested positive for the influenza A. Samples were forwarded for confirmatory tests for Pandemic Influenza A H1N1, and all five came back positive," he said.

Dr Madzorera said investigations were still underway to trace the source of the confirmed cases.

"The outbreak came from an elite school and the people there do a lot of travelling. At the moment, we cannot say where the outbreak came from, but through our investigations, we will get deeper into their history. Influenza AH1N1 virus is no longer at ports of entry, it is now in the country and our focus now is identifying and being able to contain it to avoid further spread within the country," Madzorera said.

He urged Zimbabweans to be calm as the government was on high alert and a response plan had been put in place.

"The ministry has in place a concrete preparedness and response plan for dealing with the Pandemic Influenza A H1N1," he said. "Through working closely with WHO, the University of Zimbabwe and all stakeholders in the national taskforce the national trainers have been identified and trained for the major cities, all provinces and districts with ports of entry and exit. All lab scientists in the public service have received training in conducting rapid tests, collecting and forwarding specimens for confirmation."

Dr Mazorera said drugs for the treatment of probable and confirmed cases had been pre-positioned at all district, central, and provincial hospitals, and at all municipal health departments with emphasis on those near ports of entry.

But doctors from government hospitals are pressing on with the strike that began three weeks ago, demanding salaries of more than US $1,000 as well as car loans.

However, Dr Mazorera said with the few doctors on call, health services would cope with the current situation, as they had not been overwhelmed yet.

The first case of swine flu in the region was reported in South Africa on June 18.

To date, over 2,800 cases have been treated there while six deaths have been recorded.

http://www.postzambia.com/content/view/12673/50/

[Kassy]

Zimbabwe: Suspected Swine Flu Affects 135 Pupils

Harare — AT least 135 pupils from Marist Brothers High School and Mount Melleray Primary School in Nyanga have in the past week been diagnosed with symptoms of a strain of influenza authorities fear could be the potentially deadly AH1N1, commonly known as swine flu.

Secretary for Health and Child Welfare Dr Gerald Gwinji said all the children, who displayed symptoms of Influenza Type A, were put on treatment and nasal swab samples had been sent for further testing.

Of the cases, four have been described as serious and the patients are under close supervision at St Melleray Mission Hospital while the other 131 were discharged after treatment although they would continue to be monitored.

The presence of Influenza Type A in the body, experts say, is an indication of the potential contraction of either bird flu or swine flu.

"Most of the cases presented mild symptoms. They have been treated and discharged, save for only four who are detained at a local health institution," Dr Gwinji said.

He said the samples would be sent to either South Africa or Zambia to determine whether or not swine or bird flu viruses were present.

"The South African laboratory is now inundated with its own cases as well as samples from other countries in the region, so we are now considering Zambia, whose laboratories are also World Health Organisation pre-qualified to run the tests," Dr Gwinji said.

He said the country was in the process of capacitating the Government laboratory at the University of Zimbabwe to be able to identify the AH1N1 virus though the process required a lot of financial resources.

He said the source of the potential outbreak could not be easily established.

Government, he said, was capacitating private institutions with relevant equipment and drugs for quicker response in the event of an outbreak. Private health institutions such as Avenues Clinic, St Anne's, West End and South Medical hospitals have all received supplies from the Government to assist patients who have signs of the virus.

"We have tried to make available some drugs to pharmacies, but their representatives have not yet provided us with names of outlets convenient for members of the public," Dr Gwinji said.

Asked if there was a possibility that other cases might have slipped Government's monitoring, Dr Gwinji said this could have happened because some people could go and get treated at private health institutions.

Commenting on a swine flu vaccine currently on trial in Australia and the United States, he said Zimbabwe might have access to the vaccine through assistance from the World Health Organisation.

"Although the vaccine is still under trials, some wealthy countries such as Japan have already made pre-payments.

"When the vaccine is finally approved and made available to countries, obviously they will get first priority. However, WHO usually makes payments for huge quantities, which they donate to affected countries if need be, and that is where we stand to benefit," Dr Gwinji said.

The vaccine has between a 75 and 95 percent chance of protecting people from contracting swine flu.

Swine flu manifests itself through severe headaches, fevers of above 38 degrees Celsius, chills, severe coughs, sore throats, shortness of breath, fatigue and possible pneumonia.

The virus can be mild, moderate or severe. People with mild cases can recover without receiving treatment while severe cases can be fatal if treatment is not administered within 48 hours.

Patients with mild AH1N1 virus can still transmit the virus with fatal results to other people.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200909140072.html

[Kassy]

Zim reports cholera and swine flu cases

Written by ZimOnline

Monday, 28 September 2009 16:29


HARARE – Zimbabwean health authorities on Friday reported five cases of cholera and 27 cases of influenza A H1N1 or swine flu in the southern African nation where health facilities have collapsed after a decade of economic recession.

Ministry of Health director of communicable diseases Portia Munangazira said efforts were underway to combat diseases but conceded that the country still lacked capacity to contain major outbreaks without outside help.
“In terms of fighting future outbreaks we are still not quite there yet but we have started,” Munangazira told a press briefing in Harare.
Addressing the same briefing, health minister Henry Madzorera said that out of the 631 cases of swine flu that had been reported in the two provinces of Manicaland and Mashonaland East, 27 had since been confirmed.
He said the five cases of cholera were from the 29 cases that had been reported in Chipinge district in Manicaland several weeks ago.
Madzorera said Zimbabwe has to send samples to laboratories in neighbouring countries such as Zambia and South Africa for A H1N1 testing because the country’s labs do not meet World Health Organisation standards.?
But Madzorera also said Zimbabwe’s public health system, which before the collapse of the last decade was one of the best in Africa, was on the way to recovery.
He said: “The health system is no longer in ICU (intensive care unit) anymore. It is now up and about. It has recovered and is recovering everyday …. people are getting treatment and things are getting better.”
Most of Zimbabwe’s public hospitals began operating only seven months ago after formation of a coalition government by President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Premier Arthur Mutambara.
The power-sharing government has promised to rebuild Zimbabwe’s economy and to restore basic services such as health and education that had virtually collapsed after years of recession.
But the administration, which says it needs US$10 billion to revive the economy, could fail to deliver on its promise unless it is able to unlock financial support from Western governments that have remained reluctant to provide aid until they see evidence that Mugabe is committed to genuinely share power with Tsvangirai.

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/20090...flu-cases.html

[Kassy]

Zimbabwe: UN Provides Bicycles And Motorcycles for Health Workers

30 September 2009 - The United Nations today provided hundreds of bicycles and motorcycles for Zimbabwean health workers to respond to potential cholera and flu outbreaks, the latest in a series of steps by the world body to help the southern African country confront acute humanitarian needs.

The 300 black bicycles and 124 bright red motor cycles, purchased by the UN World Health Organization (WHO) with $500,000 from the Central Emergency Response Fund, will enable health workers to move quickly to prepare for and respond to potential health concerns, including cholera outbreaks and the H1N1 flu pandemic.

"These items will support Zimbabwe's intensified response to the 2008-09 cholera outbreak that infected almost 100,000 people and killed about 4,000," WHO representative Custodia Mandlhate said.

The bicycles will be given to village health workers in three districts, with each worker equipped with a blue sports-like bag packed with basic health supplies, including oral re-hydration salts, water purification tablets, bandages and disinfectant to help deliver basic and potentially life-saving care.

The motorcycles will be distributed to each of Zimbabwe's 62 districts to help disease surveillance officers travel between towns and villages collecting suspected disease samples and safely taking them to laboratories for investigation.

"WHO and the other members of the Health Cluster are determined to help the country continue to strengthen its health care system so it can provide the highest level of health care possible to all Zimbabweans," Dr. Mandlhate said.

Earlier this month the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said it would distribute seeds and fertilizers to Zimbabwe's farmers to combat hunger, while the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) launched a $70-million programme to ensure that over 700,000 vulnerable children are in school and guarantee a textbook for each child in all of the country's 5,300 primary schools within 12 months.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200910010727.html

[Kassy]

Zimbabwe: Govt Adopts Swine Flu Plan

Harare — GOVERNMENT has adopted a non-monetary initiative to improve responses against the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu.

So far, over 600 people in Zimbabwe have been affected by the disease which has assumed global epidemic proportions.

Speaking after the signing ceremony for the plan between Government and its partners in Harare yesterday, Secretary for Health and Child Welfare Dr Gerald Gwinji said he hoped the initiative would be useful in the Zimbabwean context.

"We hope the Call to Action Plan will go a long way in protecting our population from H1N1 while we continue mobilising funds and awaiting for vaccines," Dr Gwinji said.

The Call to Action Plan was developed by World Health Organisation, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and other United Nations agencies.

According to the plan, countries should reduce the impact of the epidemic by identifying and prioritising high-risk groups such as pregnant women and children.

It also calls for the reduction of deaths by treating acute respiratory illness and pneumonia, developing operational plans for mass vaccination when the vaccine is available and continuing critical services while co-ordinating response efforts. WHO representative Dr Custodia Mandlhate said Zimbabwe was the first country in the world to apply the Call to Action Plan following the devastating cholera outbreak last year.

"The country has learnt a lot from the cholera outbreak. It has developed systems that will prevent a cholera outbreak of such a scale ever happening again."

http://allafrica.com/stories/200910020358.html

[Kassy]

Swine flu threat still hangs over Zim

By Paidamoyo Chipunza

Zimbabwe needs US$12 million to effectively respond to the swine flu virus, particularly in rural and remote parts of the country, the World Health Organisation has revealed.

This comes after villagers and health workers in Chivhu called on Government to quickly capacitate primary health institutions and intensify surveillance of swine flu in areas where an outbreak will have occurred in order to curtail the further spread of the disease.

Speaking at a swine flu preparedness workshop in Harare last Tuesday, WHO country representative Dr Custodia Mandlhate said: "Resource constraints may lead to poor preparedness and response, hence the need to adhere to the Call to Action Initiative and advocate more resources to be mobilised."

The Call to Action Initiative was recently launched by Government and its partners to reduce the impact of the pandemic by non-monetary interventions.

During a site visit to a swine flu control centre in Chivhu last week, health care workers said they were swamped by the number of people seeking treatment after exhibiting H1N1-like symptoms.

"We are treating every patient exhibiting flu-like symptoms as upper respiratory infection because we do not have the capacity to test for the disease.

"The cases range between moderate and serious and we attend to between 20 and 30 patients a week," a health official at Madamombe Clinic said.

She said rapid swine flu tests were done at Chivhu District Hospital.

Madamombe Clinic is about 2km from St Francis of Assisi High School, where more than 20 suspected H1N1 cases have been recorded.

A school official who spoke on condition of anonymity said: "One of the students got seriously ill and sought treatment from the clinic but he did not recover.

"He went home to Mutoko where he was diagnosed with H1N1, probably at Mutoko hospital.

"That is how we learnt of the existence of the outbreak at our institution.

"Thereafter, health officials from Chivhu District Hospital were sent here and about seven other students were treated for the disease."

However, during a visit by The Herald, there was no sign of an isolation unit at the school and a geography room — which was used for screening — was deserted.

Normal lessons were taking place in other rooms, painting a picture that the threat of swine flu was no longer an issue at the school.

"It seems to be under control and as far as I know no one is failing to attend lessons because of influenza.

"There are, however, a few students sneezing but we do not know whether it is swine flu or it is a seasonal cold," said one student. Several students confirmed this statement, sneezing, as they went about their normal business.

According to the WHO Call to Action plan, all health care workers, including community workers should be trained to identify and treat acute respiratory illnesses and pneumonia.

Furthermore, communities should be informed and educated of symptoms of non-severe influenza-like illness.

However, villagers expressed concern that officials seemed only concerned with St Francis of Assisi and yet the students could have passed the virus on to other people in the surrounding community.

"I have a serious headache, fatigue, weak joints, tiredness and a running nose.

"I went to Madamombe Clinic last week but I was not treated. I suspect it might be swine flu since I am always in close contact with the school where the outbreak occurred.

"This is my second time experiencing these symptoms but our clinic does not have the capacity to test for swine flu," said Ms Juliet Tafirenyika, an employee with the District Development Fund.

Ms Tafirenyika said no awareness campaigns were being run in villages — and even at the clinic — on how people could protect themselves against swine flu.

"Many people from the community presenting flu-like symptoms might have swine flu but there is no one to help them.

"I hope officials are not waiting to intensify their efforts when lives have already been lost," she said.

Ms Tafirenyika’s concerns appear genuine considering that in Manicaland Province, about 40 cases were treated as suspected H1N1 virus at Marist Brothers High School earlier this month.

A few days later, suspected cases were detected at the nearby Mt Mellaray and St Mary’s Magdalene Primary schools.

"The same scenario might repeat itself here at Assisi where a number of pupils from surrounding schools are coming to the clinic with flu-like symptoms but these are being treated as respiratory infections," said a nurse at Madamombe Clinic.

Just like the second wave of cholera, which was traced to a single well in Harare’s Budiriro suburb late last year and claimed more than 900 lives, the H1N1 virus might spread countrywide and claim lives while cases are treated as "regular" respiratory problems if not timely responded to.

WHO’s Dr Marie-Paule Kieny has said Zimbabwe will soon receive 265 000 doses of the newly-developed swine flu vaccines between October and December.

Speaking in a video conference from WHO’s Strategic Health Operations Centre in Geneva, Switzerland, Dr Kieny said poorly resourced governments could access free assistance from the UN organ.

"We have already started international distribution starting with China and Australia . . . WHO will receive the vaccines as a donation to distribute to needy countries," said Dr Kieny last Tuesday.

The current wave of the influenza A pandemic started on April 25 this year and was first reported in Mexico and the United States.

Since then, the droplet-spread virus is spreading rapidly to African countries.

According to a WHO regional update, as of September 30, 24 countries had officially reported 12 382 laboratory confirmed human cases of pandemic H1N1 and 70 deaths.

While WHO said there were 12 cases of laboratory confirmed cases of swine flu in Zimbabwe as of last week, latest statistics indicate that there are over 600 suspected cases.

These were recorded in Manicaland (Hillcrest Primary, Marist Brothers, Mt Mellaray, St Mary’s Magdalene and Rusitu schools) and Mashonaland East province (Chivhu, Sadza, Murehwa, Marondera).

Swine flu manifests through severe headaches, fever above 38 degrees Celsius, chills, severe cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, fatigue and possible pneumonia.

Mild and moderate swine flu can clear fully without the need for medical care while severe cases can lead to death if treatment is not administered within 24 hours.

http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=11027&cat=10

[Kassy]

USAid Donates Swine Flu Protective Kits

ZIMBABWE has so far confirmed 41 cases of the HINI influenza since the outbreak was first detected last year, Health and Child Welfare Minster Henry Madzorera has said.

Madzorera said the confirmed cases were part of the 50 specimens sent for testing at the South Africa's National Institute for Communicable diseases.

His said this on Wednesday after receiving a United States for International Development (USAid) donation of medical supplies to fight a future influenza outbreak.

The consignment included 50 000 personal protective clothing kits worth US$645 000, for influenza preparedness for use by health care workers in Zimbabwe and throughout southern Africa in case of an outbreak.

USaid is collaborating with the World Health Organisation (WHO), which will keep the medical supplies at its warehouse.

The new shipment follows an earlier delivery of protective clothing, worth US$27 121, that arrived in Zimbabwe last year.

Madzorera said as long as Zimbabweans were part of the global village they would remain at risk of contracting the deadly virus.

"This gesture of good will and partnership from our all-weather friend will give government a great deal of mileage in terms of preparedness and response readiness," he said.

"As long as they travel across other people's borders the disease remains a threat to Zimbabwe.

"We have identified vulnerable groups such as health care workers, school children, pregnant mothers and chronically ill patients for receiving the influenza protective kits."

USAid director Karen Freeman said the US government was committed to strengthening Zimbabwe's health sector.

"This equipment will be critical to the people of Zimbabwe in the event of an outbreak of H1N1 virus," Freeman said.

"We are committed to helping Zimbabweans combat the H1N1 flu and other diseases at the community level."

US ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray, speaking at the same occasion, reiterated his government's commitment to assisting Zimbabwe "in every way possible".

"This support is very important because its one of the additional breadths to build the capacity of not only of Zimbabwe's health delivery capacity but the region as a whole," he said.

The kits are money well spent. It's a huge investment for the future."

USaid, in collaboration with WHO, is also in the process of pre-positioning 200 000 personal protective equipment kits in African countries.

Freeman said this will ensure that there is "adequate and appropriate protection for preparedness, training, surveillance, and outbreak response activities."

The kits are part of a larger Humanitarian Pandemic Preparedness Initiative now in place across 25 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

The regions are considered the most vulnerable to the effects of a pandemic, USAid said.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201002010951.html

[Solitaire]

Epidemic Hazard in Zimbabwe on Saturday, 31 December, 2011 at 06:59 (06:59 AM) UTC.


Gladys Gombami-Dube the mainstream MDC senator for Mabutweni died of bird flu, a family spokesperson told journalists at her house in Mpopoma high density suburb on Wednesday. Family spokesperson Samuel Gombami who is brother to Gladys’ husband Fanuel said that postmortem results released on Tuesday in Harare shows that she died of bird flu. “We were finally given postmortem results and they show that she was taken away by bird flu. We still can’t believe this as a family, we are in still shock,” said Fanuel Gombami. Bird flu also known as avian influenza is a contagious disease of birds, caused by influenza (A) viruses. The outbreak of avian influenza of most concern began in poultry in South Korea in mid-December 2003. The Mabutweni senator was buried at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and dozens of MPs and senators attended the funeral. Gombami-Dube, 48, died after complaining of disorientation and dizziness while travelling home to Bulawayo from a funeral in Gokwe on Boxing Day. She was rushed to a hospital in Kadoma where she died.

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?p...1231-33593-ZWE

Commentary from Crawford

December 30, 2011

Zimbabwe: A human H5N1 death?

Via Zimbabwe News and Internet Radio: MDC-T senator died of bird flu. This seems highly unlikely. Apart from Egypt and one fatality in Nigeria, H5N1 has not been an issue in most of Africa. If it's true, we can expect to see an enormous scramble of health agencies and NGOs.

http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/2...5n1-death.html

[Auburn Boy]

Odd..,

I bet there's just some sort of confusion here. After all, Zimbabwe is not the Flu science capitol of the universe..,

[Solitaire]

Yes, it took me rather by surprise as well and would expect there is some confusion as you say.

[Kassy]

Published Date: 2012-01-01 12:54:35
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza, human (77): Zimbabwe, NOT
Archive Number: 20120101.0002

AVIAN INFLUENZA, HUMAN (77): ZIMBABWE, NOT
******************************************

A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org


Date: Sat 31 Dec 2011
Source: The Standard, Zimbabwe [edited]
http://www.thestandard.co.zw/local/3...flu-death.html

Health and Child Welfare Minister denies bird flu death
-------------------------------------------------------
Mystery surrounds the cause of death of MDC-T [Movement for a Democratic Change - Tsvangirai] legislator. News reports said that the senator had died of avian influenza or bird flu, but health expects deny there any cases of the disease in the country. Health and Child Welfare Minister Henry Madzorera said the government had not raised any alerts of an outbreak of the disease as they had not received reports of a possible epidemic. “The Epidemics and Disease Control centre has not informed me about any outbreak, but they are closed and we can only know that after the holidays,” he said. Madzorera said he could not comment further as he had not received any news of an outbreak.

Officials from the Health Ministry also revealed that there were no known cases of the virus in Zimbabwe or in the region. They said it was highly unlikely that there could have been an outbreak in the country. The only recently recorded cases, the officials said, were reported in Hong Kong and a spread to Zimbabwe at this stage was highly improbable.

But the family of the late senator insist that post-mortem results had indicated that the deceased senator had been afflicted with the deadly avian virus. The Standard could not have access to the post-mortem report. To add to the mystery, a Kadoma doctor reportedly declined to carry out a postmortem and instead referred the family to a hospital in Harare. “We were told that she had a swelling in her stomach because there was water in her lungs, but this did not make sense to us,” an informed source said. The source said before her death, the senator was down with influenza, she however developed an unnamed infection in her chest.

In the past Zimbabwe’s health systems have been reported to be incapable of handling epidemics such as bird and swine flu. In 2010 it was reported that some children in Tsholotsho were affected by swine flu. However, results on whether it was actually swine flu were inconclusive.

(By Nqaba Matshazi)

-- Communicated by: ProMEd-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

[As inferred in the previous post, there is no evidence, other than an inconclusive autopsy report, to establish the cause of death of the Zimbabwean senator. While avian A/(H5N1) virus infection cannot be excluded, in the absence of any laboratory investigation there is nothng to support this diagnosis, particularly as the disease has not been reported in Zimbabwean poultry. - Mod.CP.

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/1AY4]

See Also

http://www.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20120101.0002

[Auburn Boy]

Some morons will grasp at any straw held out to them..,

[Kassy]

It's a weird story. Another update but nothing new but i just had to share the quote...


Published Date: 2012-01-01 12:54:35
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza, human (77): Zimbabwe, NOT
Archive Number: 20120101.0002

AVIAN INFLUENZA, HUMAN (77): ZIMBABWE, NOT
******************************************

A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org


Date: Sat 31 Dec 2011
Source: The Standard, Zimbabwe [edited]
http://www.thestandard.co.zw/local/3...flu-death.html

Health and Child Welfare Minister denies bird flu death

...

“The Epidemics and Disease Control centre has not informed me about any outbreak, but they are closed and we can only know that after the holidays,”

...

http://www.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20120101.0002