Ghana Health Service confirms Swine Flu outbreak in Ghana
The Ghana Health Service on Friday 8th December 2017,
issued an alert over the outbreak of Swine Flu (H1N1) in the country following
the death of four students at the Kumasi Academy last week. After
several tests, the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyenman-Manu last week Thursday
confirmed that four students who died at KUMACA died from Influenza A also
known as Swine flu.
The Flu presents as sudden onset of fever ( 380C), chills, headache, general weakness, cough or sore throat and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea vomiting and diarrhoea.
Below are some preventive tips
In a statement, the Ghana Health Service said during the outbreak, some parents took their exposed children home from school. This move could expose the students to anyone that they may come into contact with and transmission may be on course.
The Flu presents as sudden onset of fever ( 380C), chills, headache, general weakness, cough or sore throat and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea vomiting and diarrhoea.
Below are some preventive tips
In a statement, the Ghana Health Service said during the outbreak, some parents took their exposed children home from school. This move could expose the students to anyone that they may come into contact with and transmission may be on course.
The
Ghana Health Service is therefore cautioning the public to be on the alert.
Below
are details of the statement
PUBLIC
HEALTH ALERT!!!!!!! CONFIRMED INFLUENZA A {SWINE FLU (H1NI)} OUTBREAK IN
GHANA
The Regional Health Directorate wishes to bring to the attention
of all health workers, an ongoing outbreak of confirmed Swine Flu (H1N1) at the
Kumasi Academy Senior High School (KUMACA) in the Ashanti Region which has
claimed about 13 lives within the past 7 months.
Over
40 students so far have been affected, with nineteen currently on admission at
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Hospital and Komfo
Anokye Teaching Hospital. Some parents, during the outbreak, took their exposed
children home from school and hence such exposed students may have come into
contact with the general population and transmission may be on course.
H1N1
Influenza is the subtype of Influenza A virus that was the most common cause of
human influenza infection in the 2009 global pandemic.
The
disease is spread mainly via droplet infection by inhaling air contaminated
with the virus. All respiratory secretions and body fluids including diarrhoea
stools of infected patients are considered to be potentially infectious. It has
an incubation period of 1 – 4 days and has a high virulence if not diagnosed
and treated on time.
The
main signs and symptoms are: Sudden onset of fever ( 380C), chills, headache,
general weakness, cough or sore throat and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms
such as nausea vomiting and diarrhoea.
In
view of the above, the following case definition should be used at all levels
with a high index of suspicion through improving our surveillance system.
Suspected
Case Definition: Any individual presenting with sudden onset of fever (38 °C),
cough or sore throat, headache and or general weakness in the absence of
another diagnosis with a history of exposure to a student from KUMACA or coming
from Ashanti Region.
Samples
(combined nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs in universal transport medium)
should be taken for all suspected cases and sent to the Regional Disease
Control Unit to compliment the work of the Regional Influenza Sentinel Sites. I
count on your usual cooperation.From The EKOsystem we entreat everyone to stay safe, follow the preventive steps and report to a near by health center when the need arise.
Source: Ghana Health Service
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