NAIROBI, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's health authorities have returned a negative result for the dreaded A/H1N1 influenza which has caused panic across the East Africa nation.
Public Heath and Sanitation Minister Beth Mugo told a news conference on Saturday that samples taken from a 20-year old Kenyan university student studying in London at a medical clinic in Nairobi ruled out any signs of A/H1N1.
"I want to assure Kenyans that the suspected case has been confirmed to be negative for Influenza A virus. I wish to confirm to the country that there still is no confirmed influence A/H1N1 in Kenya," Mugo told journalists in Nairobi.
The health authorities were sent on the alert on Friday when a patient was found with symptoms that have previously been associated with the A/H1N1 virus.
The patient had gone for treatment at a clinic at a popular Nairobi shopping mall, the Sarit Center. The clinic was closed and the patient transferred to Kenya's main referral hospital, the Kenyatta National Hospital.
"Let Kenyans not panic and let us stop spreading any further rumours about this case which has turned out to be negative," Mugosaid.
"All health workers and the general public are advised in case of suspected case they should immediately get in touch with the national surveillance unit in the ministry and the national influenza center where the heath officers can be reached."
The minister downplayed the case, saying the reported case "was just a scare" and said the disease is treatable. She said Kenya has strengthened surveillance at airports and other border entry points following the outbreak of the swine flu which has spread to seven countries across three continents and had killed about 160 people in Mexico and at least one in the U.S..
"Let me assure Kenyans that as part of our preparedness, the ministry with support from the WHO has stocked over 50,000 diseases of tamiflu for treatment of any confirmed cases of Influenza A/H1N1 and stocked personal protective equipment (PPE) for the health workers, she said.
According to the minister, the Kenyan student suspected of catching the disease while in London, was on contact with a friend who happened to develop symptoms of the disease.
In mid June, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the Pandemic alert status from phase 5 to phase 6, which meant that the disease had reached the emergency level.
"It's not killing more people, it's not more aggressive than before so don't think because we have elevated the phase to 6 the disease has become more severe, no! It is about geographical spread. We have been expecting the worst, we are lucky it's not that bad," David Okello, WHO Kenya Director had said.
After the alert was raised, Mugo said the government had stepped up surveillance of the influenza A/H1N1 and over 50,000 doses of the drug Tamiflu was in the stock pile for use in case of an outbreak in the country.
She had also said there was a ready isolation facility at the Kenyatta National Hospital in case of an outbreak. The first case of influenza A/H1N1 virus was reported in late April in Mexico.
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