The Head of Department of Health will be visiting a congregation in the Inanda Newtown area today, 6 September 2009, at 09h00; to educate them on how to prevent contracting the virus.
This is part of the government's effort to ensure the department controls the spread of the virus. As of last week the numbers of people confirmed to be having the disease reached 891 with 2 deaths confirmed. There are four more deaths that are still to be confirmed by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).
"Civil society organisations, families, individuals, and traditional leaders all have essential roles to play in mitigating the effects of an influenza outbreak. Non-governmental organisations should be involved in preparedness efforts and their expertise and capabilities harnessed to help communities prepare for and respond to an outbreak.
There is evidence which points to some important differences between patterns of illness reported during the outbreak and those seen during seasonal epidemics of influenza. The age groups affected by the outbreak are generally younger. This is true for those most frequently infected, and especially so for those experiencing severe or fatal illness" said the Head of Department, Dr Sibongile M Zungu.
"To date, most severe cases and deaths have occurred in adults under the age of 50 years, with deaths in the elderly comparatively rare. This age distribution is in stark contrast with seasonal influenza, where around 90% of severe and fatal cases occur in people 65 years of age or older" Dr Zungu continued.
Journalists and reporters are invited to attend this event which will take place as follows:
Date: 6 September 2009
Time: 09h00
Venue: Esikhululiwe School, Inanda Newtown B
Issued by: Department of Health, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
5 September 2009
