Online Reporter
Faith Ndlovu, Health Reporter
A SENIOR health official has said that while there is a slight increase in flue cases in Bulawayo the figures do not as yet warrant it being an outbreak.
According to the World Health Organisation, a disease outbreak is the occurrence of cases of a disease in excess of what would normally be expected in a defined community, geographical area or season.
Bulawayo has of late recorded a surge in flue cases, raising concerns among residents that there was a flue outbreak in the city.
However, in an interview, Bulawayo Provincial Medical Director Dr Maphios Siamuchembu said the current trend is not equal to an outbreak.
“I am not aware that we have any outbreak in Bulawayo. We use the numbers of people with the disease or symptoms and compare the same period over a five-year period. Our health information does not indicate any anomaly or outbreak,” the PMD said.
Last week Mpilo Central Hospital noted a significant increase in sick children with respiratory disease.
“We do not have children admitted with a specific flu bug. However, it appears that there is a slight increase in sick children with respiratory disease. It is probably a seasonal trend,” the hospital said in an earlier interview.
They were receiving an increase in sick children from the age of four weeks to two months, some who needed hospitalisation.
Hospital officials at Mpilo urged parents to be on the lookout for the signs and symptoms of the flu saying if the children are very sick with high temperatures, sneezing and coughing, parents must seek immediate medical attention.
Masking up at school was also suggested to reduce the spread of the flu
Pharmacists at local pharmacies in the city also experienced a surge in demand for children’s flu medication in the past few weeks.
