Swine Flu: Nigeria on high alert

The world woke last Saturday to the scary news of another Influenza pandemic in Mexico, which quickly spread to other parts of the globe.

Outside Mexico where more than 160 persons have died, the United States is the only country where the virus has claimed a life.

The influenza, known as Swine Flu, is contracted through contact with swine. It is rated by the World Health Organisation as one of the most deadly viruses to have hit the human race.

The American Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said that the extent of the spread of the flu would be wide.

But reaction to the spread has been swift, with world leaders quickly moving into action to curtail the pandemic. Taking a clue from other countries, Nigeria has issued an alert advising the populace on the symptoms to look out for. The government also announced some of the measures already taken to safeguard Nigerians.

Babatunde Osotimehin, Nigeria Minister of Health who issued the alert said that though no cases had being reported in the country, government was putting in place mechanism to contain any possible outbreak.

“We have to warn the public early because Nigerians are known to travel back and forth and this flu is airborne and could be brought into the country by a passenger,” he said.

Mr. Osotimehin said surveillance measures had being strengthened at all ports of entry into the country, while adequate quantities of Tamiflu had being stocked to address any outbreak.
Vigilance at ports

Minister of Environment, John Odey also issued strict instructions to those manning the nation’s sea and airports.

Mr. Odey said any vessel, cargo or passenger plane entering the country would be properly screened and cleaned to ensure that the virus does not spread to Nigeria.

The authorities of the National Hospital, Abuja also assured Nigerians of their preparedness to take in suspected cases of the flu and quarantine victims and undertake appropriate medical steps to prevent the spread in the country.

Nigeria also placed an indefinite ban on the importation of pork, pigs and other meats from countries already affected by the flu; as part of measures to prevent the spread of the flu into the country.

Meanwhile, the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom has started collecting samples from pigs in preparation for any possible outbreak and had already designated a laboratory for swine flu research.

“The Swine flu is a disease caused by a virus creating a flu-like condition,” the Executive Director of the Institute, Lami Lombin said. “There are different types, which can be differentiated by the H and N antigens.”

She said that swine flu is a tripartite combination of flu in bird, man and pigs.

“Scientists said that the potentials of the flu affecting man, bird and pig is what makes it a threat, otherwise the antigens of H1 and N1 has long been in existence,” she said.

She also acknowledged that the threat was real since the flu has the ability of moving from animal to man, jumping specie barrier.

Lombin said that Nigeria was under threat of the disease as a result of human movement. She said the situation was made worse as the epidemiology of the swine flu has not been understood.

History of flu

The present outbreak was not the first time the world is experiencing the disease. Records show that it first occurred in 1918, and in 1976 and 2007.

Records from the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said that a flu, known as “Spanish Influenza Strain,” infected a third of the world population and caused as many as 50 million deaths between 1918 and 1919. So far, the disease is suspected to have killed more than 160 people in Mexico and sickening hundreds more around the globe.