Zimbabwe has recorded its first cases of swine flu, after five private school students caught the disease in the eastern border town of Mutare, the health minister said today.

# Gauteng woman dies of swine flu

“An outbreak of pandemic influenza A(H1N1) occurred in Mutare at a private school in early August,” health minister Henry Madzorera told a news conference in the capital.

“The ages of the children ranged from five to 10 years,” he added.

Madzorera said the government has put in place a response plan jointly with the World Health Organisation and the University of Zimbabwe’s medical department.

“Drugs for treatment of probable and confirmed cases have been pre-positioned at all the central hospitals, provincial hospitals, city health departments and district hospitals with emphasis at the ports of entry.”

Doctors at state hospitals went on strike one week ago, but the minister insisted the virus will be contained.

“Most of our doctors are at work. Service delivery is fairly normal. Our health services will cope, we have not been overwhelmed as yet.”

The doctors are demanding higher salaries and the restoration of allowances that were withdrawn last month by the government and aid agencies.

Zimbabwe’s health system has crumbled due to the nation’s economic collapse over the last decade.

More than 2,400 people died of cholera over the last year, a deadly but preventable disease. The nation’s health problems are worsened by the high incidence of HIV, which infects 15.6 percent of adults.

The Times