Authorities at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo have confirmed a flu outbreak in the city, with young children under five being the most affected.
Mpilo Central Hospital Clinical Director Solwayo Ngwenya said that the hospital has seen a rise in cases of toddlers seeking treatment for respiratory illnesses. He said:
<blockquote>
We do not have children admitted with a specific flu bug. However, there appears that there is a slight increase in sick children with respiratory disease. It is probably a seasonal trend.
I urge parents to be on the lookout for signs and symptoms of the flu. If the children are very sick with high temperatures, sneezing and coughing, seek medical attention earlier rather than later.
</blockquote>
Ngwenya urged parents to keep children who appear severely unwell at home to prevent the spread of infection to others, especially in schools.
Pharmacists at local pharmacies in the city have also confirmed a surge in demand for children’s flu medication over the past three weeks. Said a pharmacist:
<blockquote>
We have seen an increase in parents seeking medication for their toddlers which suggests that the flu bug is indeed spreading rapidly.
We have been overwhelmed with concerned parents seeking help for their sick children and unfortunately, we have temporarily run out of children’s flu medication. We are working to restock our shelves as soon as possible.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.heraldonline.co.zw/flu-bug-hits-bulawayo/">HeraldOnline</a>

Pindula News

The hospital in Bulawayo has a flu outbreak, affecting kids under five the most. The hospital saw more sick toddlers with respiratory problems. The hospital director advises parents to watch out for signs of flu in kids like high fever, sneezing, and coughing. Parents should keep very sick kids at home to prevent spreading the flu. Pharmacies noticed a lot of parents asking for children's flu medicine. They ran out of medicine but are working on restocking. It's important to take care and be cautious during this flu outbreak.

Flu Outbreak Hits Bulawayo, Children Under Five Most Affected

The Ministry of Health and Child Care has released the weekly disease surveillance report for the week ending January 19, 2025.
According to the Ministry, a total of 6,958 cases of common diarrhoea were reported, resulting in 6 deaths. The fatalities occurred in various regions: 2 at Sally Mugabe Hospital in Harare, 1 in Bikita District (Masvingo), 1 in Mutoko District (Mashonaland East), 1 in Mazowe District (Mashonaland Central), and 1 in Kwekwe District (Midlands). Among the reported cases, 3,040 were in children under the age of 5. The provinces with the highest case numbers were Manicaland (1,029) and Mashonaland West (988). Cumulatively, there have been 19,441 cases and 12 deaths related to common diarrhoea.
In the case of malaria, 1,048 new cases and 5 deaths were reported. The fatalities were spread across Mutare District (Manicaland), Sanyati District (Mashonaland West), Chiredzi District (Masvingo), and two hospitals in Harare—Sally Mugabe Hospital and Parirenyatwa Hospital. Of the malaria cases, 12.5% (131 cases) were in children under five years old. The highest numbers were reported in Manicaland (665 cases) and Mashonaland West (133 cases). Cumulative figures for malaria stand at 2,186 cases and 9 deaths.
Anthrax cases were reported in Gokwe North District (5 cases), Gokwe South District (1 case), and Sanyati District (1 case). There were no reported deaths, and cumulative figures for anthrax cases are now 19, with no fatalities.
Measles saw 4 new suspected cases, with reports coming from Mashonaland West (1 case), Mashonaland East (1 case), and Harare Metropolitan Province (2 cases). The total number of suspected measles cases is now 12, with no deaths.
There were 471 dysentery cases reported, along with 1 death from Hurungwe District in Mashonaland West. The highest case numbers were recorded in Mashonaland Central (108 cases) and Mashonaland West (82 cases). Cumulative cases for dysentery stand at 1,405, with 1 fatality.
One suspected typhoid case was reported, with no deaths. The cumulative number of suspected typhoid cases is now 2, with no deaths.
A total of 18 mumps cases were reported, with no fatalities. The highest number of cases came from Mashonaland West (6 cases), followed by Mashonaland East (3 cases) and Masvingo (3 cases). Cumulative figures for mumps are 41 cases, with no deaths.
There were no reported cases of Mpox this week, and the cumulative figures remain at zero.
A total of 736 dog bite cases were reported, with no fatalities. Of these, 180 were bitten by vaccinated dogs, 154 by unvaccinated dogs, and 402 by dogs of unknown vaccination status. Masvingo Province recorded the highest number of dog bite cases (124), followed by Manicaland (107). The cumulative total for dog bites is now 2,049, with no deaths, resulting in a case fatality rate (CFR) of 0%.
In terms of cholera, 13 suspected cases were reported, with no deaths. The suspected cases were from Mazowe District (12 cases) in Mashonaland Central and Kariba District (1 case) in Mashonaland West. The cumulative total for cholera now stands at 85 suspected cases and 1 suspected death.
Finally, influenza cases have risen to 2,535, with no reported deaths. Manicaland recorded the highest number of cases (847), followed by Mashonaland West (704). The cumulative number of suspected influenza cases is now 6,868, with no fatalities.

In the news, the Ministry of Health reported that there were many cases of diarrhoea, malaria, and other diseases in Zimbabwe. Over 6,900 cases of diarrhoea and 1,048 cases of malaria were recorded. Some people died, especially children. Other diseases like anthrax, measles, dysentery, typhoid, mumps, and dog bites were also reported, but no deaths. Cases of influenza also increased. In total, there were many sick people, but not many people died from these diseases. The Ministry is working to stop the diseases from spreading.

Weekly Disease Surveillance: Over 6,900 Diarrhoea Cases And 1,048 Malaria Cases Recorded

The government has allayed fears of a coronavirus outbreak following a spike in cases of flu across the country over the past few weeks.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Jenfan Muswere, on Tuesday said the current rise in influenza-like illness in Zimbabwe is caused by the common cold associated with the winter season.
Addressing journalists at a post-Cabinet briefing in Harare on Tuesday, Muswere said the country has not recorded a single COVID-19 case in the last four weeks. He said:
<blockquote>
Cabinet advises that the recent increase in influenza-like illness experienced in the last few weeks is due to a seasonal increase which is usually experienced in the country and region as we approach the winter season.
This is not a COVID-19 outbreak, but a seasonal phenomenon experienced during the winter season.
There were more influenza cases in the same period in 2023 (149,000) compared to 2024 (99,000). Zimbabwe has not recorded a single COVID-19 case in the last four weeks.
People are, however, encouraged to wash their hands, avoid large crowds, cover their mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and stay at home when there are symptoms of the disease.
</blockquote>
Influenza is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. It affects the nose, throat, and lungs, leading to symptoms that range from mild to severe.
Common signs of the flu include fever, aching muscles, chills, sweats, headache, coughing, fatigue, and a runny or stuffy nose. While most people recover on their own, some may experience complications.
To curb the flu, the government has advised the public to take a lot of fluids, keep warm, and where necessary, take over-the-counter common cold remedies.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Spike In Influenza-like Illnesses Not Related To COVID-19 - Govt

Director of epidemiology and disease control at the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Portia Manangazira  has urged Zimbabweans not to panic over claims of a deadly flu virus and said that the flu can be treated using medication.
Dr Manangazira said that the flu virus can cause complications if not treated early and an infected person may experience malaria-like symptoms and severely weakens its victims. She said the country is likely to have more cases of the flu as we transition into the hot season from winter.
More: <a href="http://www.zbc.co.zw/2017/08/11/zimbabweans-urged-not-to-panic-over-flu-bug/">ZBC</a>

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