Two Nigerians die of swine flu, cases increase to 11

[Ronan Kelly]

Two Nigerians die of swine flu, cases increase to 11
By Niyi Odebode, Published: Tuesday, 19 Jan 2010




Minister of Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin


The Federal Ministry of Health, on Monday said that cases of swine flu in the country had increased from one to 11.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, who disclosed this in a statement by its Special Assistant on Communications, Mr. Niyi Ojuolape, also said that two people had died of the ailment.

The minister said, ?As at January 18, 2010, Nigeria has recorded 11 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza A/HINI and two deaths from the pandemic.?

According to him, the most recent case of the deaths was that of a 38-year-old woman in Lagos.
The minister said, ?She was from Bayelsa State but lived in Lagos. She had a history of travel to the United States of America about three months previously.

?She became sick six weeks ago and died on Tuesday January 5, 2010 at Reddington Hospital Victoria Island, Lagos State.?

Osotimehin stated that the ministry and the Lagos State Government had collected samples from a case for further investigation.

?Eight out of the 40 samples of close contacts collected were found to be positive for Influenza A/ H1N1,? he added.

The minister disclosed that epidemiologists from 36 states and Federal Capital Territory had met surveillance officers of the World Health Organisation with the aim of deploying vaccines in various parts of the country

Osotimehin said, ?Enhanced disease surveillance including active case search in some designated health facilities is on in all the States of the Federation and FCT.?

It will be recalled that the country first recorded the first case of the flu on November 4 last year when it was diagnosed in a nine-year-old American girl resident in Lagos.

There were also reports that a Nigerian woman died of the flu during the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia on November 24 last year. Saudi authorities stated that the woman was not vaccinated against the disease.

The reports, were however denied by the minister of health, who said that the ministry was not aware of the death.
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[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Two Nigerians die of swine flu, cases increase to 11

Swine flu: Nigeria records first death .
Tuesday, 19 January 2010 00:00 Emmanuel Ulayi . .A 38-YEAR-OLD woman from Bayelsa State has become the first Nigerian casualty of the pandemic lnfluenza A (H1N1), the Federal Government confirmed yesterday.


The unidentified victim was said to have returned from a trip to the United States (U.S.) three months ago, before falling ill about six weeks ago.

She was said to have died on January 5 at a highbrow hospital on Victoria Island, Lagos.
Federal health officials had late last year announced the first case of lnfluenza A (HINI) in the country when an eight- year-old American girl was diagnosised with the virus in Lagos.

The Special Assistant on Communications to the Minister of Health, Mr Niyi Ojuolape, who made the announcement yesterday in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said that about a dozen cases had been recorded locally.

A statement signed by Ojuolape said that as at yesterday, the country has recorded 11 laboratory confirmed cases of lnfluenza AH1N1 with two deaths from the pandemic.

The statement reads: ?The most recent case of Influenza A/H1N1 was that of a 38-year-old female in Lagos who tested positive to Influenza A/H1N1.

?She was from Bayelsa State but lived in Lagos. She had a history of travel to the United States of America (USA) about three months previously.

?She became sick six weeks ago and died on Tuesday January 5th 2010 at Reddington Hospital, Victoria Island, Lagos State.

?The Federal Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Health, had collected samples from the index case and her contacts for further investigations. Eight (8) out of the 40 samples of close contacts collected were found to be positive for Influenza A/ H1N1.

?A meeting for the 36 States? Epidemiologists and FCT along with the WHO States? Surveillance Officers has taken place during which vaccine deployment plan was discussed among other very important incidental issues.

?Enhanced disease surveillance including active case search in some designated health facilities is on in all the states of the Federation and FCT.

?All documentations for the donation of pandemic influenza A/H1N1 vaccine to the country including vaccine deployment plan have been completed and forwarded to WHO HQ in Geneva.

?The country is also putting together all the required processes for the deployment of the vaccines.?
http://www.compassnews.net/Ng/index...-first-death&catid=672:top-stories&Itemid=794

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Two Nigerians die of swine flu, cases increase to 11

Swine Flu: Lagos says no vaccine, as eight test positive
By Mudiaga Affe, Published: Wednesday, 20 Jan 2010

Lagos State Government on Tuesday said it currently had no vaccine in stock to treat cases of Influenza A/H1N1, also known as Swine Flu.

This is coming just as the government confirmed that the virus had claimed the life of a 38-year-old woman, while eight others had also tested positive.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, said this at a press briefing in Lagos along with Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Adetoun Agbe-Davies, and Director of Disease Control, Dr. Femi Taiwo.

Idris, however, said the state government had finalised the decision to procure the vaccine from abroad within a timeframe of four weeks in order to respond to the health crisis.

But he urged people to take some precautionary measures.

He added that the 38-year-old victim of Influenza A/H1N1 (swine flu) travelled to the United States about three months ago and developed a respiratory tract infection about six weeks after returning to Nigeria.

The commissioner said, ?The victim was referred to a private hospital in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, where she was being managed for pneumonia before she died on January 5, 2010. It was discovered after her death that she died of the virus.

?The State Epidemics Rapid Response Team immediately visited the hospital for further investigations, which revealed that eight persons had tested positive in the state.

The commissioner explained that 52 samples of nose and throat swats of close contacts were taken to the laboratory, comprising those that came in contact with the victim before and after she developed pneumonia with symptoms of fever, headaches, productive cough, shortness of breath and respiratory distress.

He said, ?Results of 46 are ready, and eight are positive of Influenza A/H1N1. Those tested positive have since been placed on antivirals-Tamiflu, and surveillance activities have started, and are still ongoing.

?This is the third case of Influenza A/H1N1 in Lagos but the only death recorded.?

According to him, surveillance activities have commenced and are still on-going.

He added, ?Motorised mass public enlightenment activities are being intensified while print and electronic jingles and other enlightenment materials are being rolled out to alert the public on what to do if certain symptoms are noticed.?


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