Nigeria has recorded its first case of the A H1N1 Influenza otherwise called swine flu, the Ministry of Health confirmed on Thursday in Abuja.
The Special Assistant to the Health minister, Niyi Ojuolape, issued a statement which linked the case to a nine-year old American girl in Lagos.
The statement said the girl had presented flu like symptoms of fever, sore throat, nasal congestion and nausea to the American Consular clinic in Lagos for treatment.
It said that nasal specimens were taken for routine testing and subsequently the girl recovered fully with symptomatic treatment after 5 days duration of the illness.
’’No other school pupil or person in the girl’s school has flu like symptoms or is absent from school because of any illness,’’ the statement said.
It said the Lagos State Ministry of Health was aware of the case and the tracing, screening and active surveillance carried out showed that there was no other reported case.
The statement said the ministry and other states’ ministries were prepared in their response plans and had put in place enhanced surveillance to combat the flu in case it occurred.
’’All the 36 States’ Epidemiologists are currently meeting in Kaduna to fine tune the country’s coordinated response to a possible outbreak.
’’The states and FCT have adequate quantities of Tamiflu, the antiviral drug for treatment and other medical supplies to contain cases of the Influenza,’’ the statement said.
The ministry, it said, had also strengthened public awareness and sensitization campaigns to alert the public about the pandemic.
Source African Press Agency
