MALAWI SWINE FLU UPDATE: FOUR CASES CONFIRMED

UNCLAS LILONGWE 000568 SIPDIS LONDON FOR AF WATCHER PETER LORD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SOCI TBIO AMED MI SUBJECT: MALAWI SWINE FLU UPDATE: FOUR CASES CONFIRMED REF: LILONGWE 316 ¶1. Summary: Malawi's Ministry of Health has issued a press release confirming the presence of H1N1 (Swine Flu) in the country. The release provided public information for detecting and responding to H1N1 and noted that national health system was adequately prepared to respond to new cases. The four reported cases of H1N1 may be a serious underestimate of the situation in the country. CDC and other partner institutions will continue to work with the MoH to address these problems. End summary. ¶2. On Thursday, October 22, the Malawi Ministry of Health (MoH) issued a press release regarding the presence of influenza H1N1 (Swine Flu) in the country. The MoH stated that there have been four confirmed cases of H1N1 in Malawi. One was a traveler returning from South Africa, while the other three were all from a single school in northern Malawi and had not been traveling. The MoH reported that all four patients have since recovered and are in good health. ¶3. The MoH press release provided basic advice to avoid contracting H1N1, and noted that most H1N1 symptoms are the same as other seasonal influenza. The release identified the distinguishing signs of H1N1 and advised anyone experiencing these symptoms to seek medical care. ¶4. The release stated that the MoH had procured adequate supplies of Tamiflu, and that national health workers were sufficiently trained and briefed to handle H1N1 cases. While acknowledging that H1N1 constitutes a continuing public health problem, the MoH stressed that the situation is under control. The release noted that the MoH was working in cooperation with the WHO, CDC, and UNICEF. ¶5. Comment: The MoH began investigating a flu-like illness at the affected secondary school in early September, and had lab results from South Africa confirming H1N1 infection by the second week of September. The results have not been made public until the press statement today, nearly five weeks after MoH received the results. This reflects problems in the MoH clearance process for public documents and an inability to respond quickly to public health situations such as presented by these cases. The disease surveillance system remains very weak and there is currently no laboratory capacity to test samples in country. The four reported cases of H1N1 may be a serious underestimate of the situation in the country. CDC and other partner institutions will continue to work with the MoH to address these problems. BODDE