Zambia Records 8 Cases Of Swine Flu

ZAMBIA, 9th September, 2009 THE Ministry of Health in Zambia has announced the first cases of swine flu in the country.
Making an official announcement on a local television station yesterday, Ministry of Health spokesperson Dr. Kamoto Mbewe, has confirmed the incident to a local Television station in Zambia’s capital Lusaka today.
Dr. Mbewe said at least eight cases of suspected swine flu has been recorded by his institution.
Speaking on Muvi Television, Dr Mbewe said out of the eight patients infected by influenza N1 H1 commonly known as swine flu three of them are children.
He said that all the eight infected patients have not traveled recently an indication that the infection was acquired locally.
The doctor has cautioned Zambians to refrain from unnecessary handshakes and advised the wash of hands frequently.
Dr. Mbewe has further disclosed that the Zambian Government has secured two thousand five hundred tablets for the medication of the flu.
He was quoted as saying “Tummy flu’ which can cure the influenza if administered within the first forty eight hours of the symptoms of flu has already hit the Zambian shelves”.
In another development most animal husbandry farmers in Luapula Province of Zambia, which borders with the Democratic Republic of Congo, are shunning away from feeding their pigs for fear of contracting the flu.
The border town of Chienge and surrounding villages are suitable of rearing pigs and pork is used as a supplementary meat during the period of fish ban from December to March