Flue bug hits Bulawayo

Amanda Mlevu, Sunday News Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC)’s department of health services has said the wave of flu that has affected a number of residents in the city was being investigated, adding that Covid-19 cases were still in the community and people must be cautious.

A flue bug has been reported for over one month which has left residents worried on whether it could be Covid-19 or not.

Director of Health Services Dr Edwin Sibanda confirmed that a bug has indeed hit the city with many people visiting clinics to consult. He highlighted that the city was still recording cases of Covid-19 but what was being experienced at the moment was a flue virus.

“Indeed, Covid-19 cases are still there but we have come to realise that there is a flue virus going on around the city”, said Dr Sibanda.

Symptoms of flue include a sore throat, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, high temperature, muscle ache, headaches, and a loss of taste or smell. The symptoms are similar to those of Covid-19 and people are urged to go and get tested for Covid-19 in order to be certain of what will be affecting them.

Earlier, Dr Sibanda said with the changes in weather, it was expected that these symptoms would increase and the prevention measures were the same as Covid-19, saying the city was strengthening what they have been doing for Covid-19.

One of the residents in Emakhandeni township Mrs Caroline Ndlovu said all her children were experiencing painful coughs but they all tested negative for Covid-19.

“I suspected that it was Covid-19 but when they tested, they were all negative,” she said.