Is South Africa ready for 'swine flu', experts ask

NIKITA GELDENHUYS
Correspodent | Wednesday May 13, 2009 00:00

While the only person who is suspected to have swine flu or what is otherwise known as A(H1N1) seems to be recovering, South Africa has been training response teams in preparation for any possible influenza outbreak.  

South Africa is the first country on the continent to report suspected cases of swine flu.

Dr Lucille Blumberg from the National Institute of Communicable Disease in South Africa said that the National Health Laboratory Services have been monitoring for suspected cases and are doing laboratory testing for influenza.

But South African virologist, Ed Rybicki, explained that he has some concerns about the country's influenza pandemic plan.

'I know for a fact we haven't stockpiled [on medicines to treat swine flu]. If you don't have a national stockpile, that's it - you're not going to get the drugs in time,' he said.

The Democratic Alliance's health spokesperson also warned that the influenza threat should be taken very seriously. 'South Africa is a long physical distance from the outbreak, but it would take only one passenger arriving on a long-haul flight to let loose an outbreak here,' he said.

Any major outbreak of swine flu in South Africa would not only pose a health threat to other African countries, but may also lead to the football tournament the FIFA Confederations Cup being cancelled. Any such outbreak would lead to major repercurssions for the country and the continent as well.

At the first news of suspected cases of swine flu in South Africa, FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke was reportedly considering the possibility of cancelling the tournament.

'We will cancel only if we feel that we have to. If there are no risks and if we have all the necessary assurances, the competition will go ahead,' Valcke told Voice of America.

Valcke explained that FIFA is monitoring the influenza situation closely. 'We hope that it will be under control before we have to think about [it] when the teams are moving from South America to Africa, from North America to Africa, from Europe to Africa, etc,' he said.