sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
No threat of bird flu, says health dept
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The Department of Health says there is no immediate threat of bird flu in South Africa.
Spokesperson Solly Mabotha said the department was constantly monitoring global health developments and had taken note of the recent confirmation of H5N1 avian influenza in domestic birds in Nigeria.
?The department wishes to emphasise that the recent development, although in our continent, should not be a cause for panic, as it poses no health risk to the South African population,? he said.
Mabotha said South Africa's animal health surveillance and monitoring system was commendable and had been confirmed by the World Organisation of Animal Health (IOE) that recently declared the country avian flu free.
To date no cases of bird flu caused by the H5N1 strain have been reported in South Africa.
?The recent strain H5N2, last detected in August 2004 at ostrich farms in the Eastern Cape has since been successfully contained,? he said.
However, Mabotha said the department would continue to strengthen its measures to reduce opportunities for human exposure to infection of the virus.
He said these would be achieved through ongoing efforts in collaboration with the department of agriculture to ensure rapid detection of poultry outbreaks and monitoring main points of entry.
He further noted that the department had finalised a draft Human Influenza Preparedness Plan, a framework for the management and preparation for future pandemics.
The plan makes provision for the establishment of the Outbreak Response Team under the leadership of the Department of Health and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD).
?It also draws input from the broader stakeholders including government departments, private health sector, drug manufacturers and community representatives and provides guidelines on how best to prevent and control infectious diseases,? said Mabotha.
He said although there was no vaccine to prevent the spread of the virus, countries around the world had been discussing a variety of options including Tamiflu, identified by the WHO as the best anti-viral drug available today for prophylaxis and treatment of the human influenza.
The Medical Control Council (MCC) is currently speeding up the registration of the drug in South Africa. - BuaNews
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The governments are very afraid of a "BF Panic". I am glad that their "draft" plan is ready now that BF is knocking on their door.
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The Department of Health says there is no immediate threat of bird flu in South Africa.
Spokesperson Solly Mabotha said the department was constantly monitoring global health developments and had taken note of the recent confirmation of H5N1 avian influenza in domestic birds in Nigeria.
?The department wishes to emphasise that the recent development, although in our continent, should not be a cause for panic, as it poses no health risk to the South African population,? he said.
Mabotha said South Africa's animal health surveillance and monitoring system was commendable and had been confirmed by the World Organisation of Animal Health (IOE) that recently declared the country avian flu free.
To date no cases of bird flu caused by the H5N1 strain have been reported in South Africa.
?The recent strain H5N2, last detected in August 2004 at ostrich farms in the Eastern Cape has since been successfully contained,? he said.
However, Mabotha said the department would continue to strengthen its measures to reduce opportunities for human exposure to infection of the virus.
He said these would be achieved through ongoing efforts in collaboration with the department of agriculture to ensure rapid detection of poultry outbreaks and monitoring main points of entry.
He further noted that the department had finalised a draft Human Influenza Preparedness Plan, a framework for the management and preparation for future pandemics.
The plan makes provision for the establishment of the Outbreak Response Team under the leadership of the Department of Health and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD).
?It also draws input from the broader stakeholders including government departments, private health sector, drug manufacturers and community representatives and provides guidelines on how best to prevent and control infectious diseases,? said Mabotha.
He said although there was no vaccine to prevent the spread of the virus, countries around the world had been discussing a variety of options including Tamiflu, identified by the WHO as the best anti-viral drug available today for prophylaxis and treatment of the human influenza.
The Medical Control Council (MCC) is currently speeding up the registration of the drug in South Africa. - BuaNews
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The governments are very afraid of a "BF Panic". I am glad that their "draft" plan is ready now that BF is knocking on their door.
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