Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has called on all pregnant women with flu-like symptoms to be immediately put on Tamiflu treatment by healthcare workers. This call comes amid the increasing number of H1N1 deaths, now standing at 20.
The majority of these deaths are pregnant women with some of them having other under-lying illnesses such as diabetes and tuberculosis (TB).
"We find it very worrying that there are an increasing number of pregnant women who are succumbing to this pandemic. The directive to all healthcare workers, in line with our pandemic influenza guidelines, is to put pregnant women with flu-like symptoms (even if they are mild) on Tamiflu treatment. Doctors should not wait for any tests before such treatment is administered," said Motsoaledi.
The third trimester of pregnancy has been identified as a particular risk for severe H1N1 illness in many other countries to date. It therefore becomes critical that influenza H1N1 be highly considered in any pregnant woman with influenza-like illness (fever, muscle pain, and/or dry cough).
So far the total number of confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza stand at over 5 000, suggesting a wide-spread community outbreak in the country. The majority of cases, however, remain mild and self-limiting.
Routine testing of all persons with influenza-like illness for H1N1 is not recommended, and laboratory focus has to be on identifying persons with more severe illness.
For more information please contact:
Fidel Hadebe
Tel: 012 312 0663
Cell: 079 517 3333
Issued by: Ministry of Health
25 August 2009
