Namibia: Health ministry confirms 54 swine flu cases

Namibia's health ministry says it has confirmed 54 cases of swine flu out of 190 suspected cases.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the foreign ministry said the central Otjozundjopa region and the area surrounding the capital Windhoek were the most affected, with 24 positive cases reported in each area.

“The cases were reported mainly from Otjozondjupa region (24 out of 37 suspected cases), Khomas (24 out of 138 suspected cases), and Kavango East (6 out of 15 suspected cases),” the statement reads.

The cases were reported from July 2022 to date. Some of the cases were also investigated for Covid-19, but tested negative.

H1N1 influenza, also known as swine flu, is an acute viral respiratory infection in humans, often characterised by fever, headache, myalgia and other flu-like symptoms.

The southern African country experienced a large-scale swine flu outbreak in 2009-10, when over 8,000 suspected cases were reported. During that outbreak, 102 people tested positive and one person died.

Children, elderly people and pregnant women are considered high-risk groups, the health ministry said