Meanwhile, a strain of flu known as Adenovirus has apparently been identified at a Mitchells Plain primary school.
Last Monday, 19 June, Montagu Drive Primary School in Portlands issued a letter to parents, urging them to take their kids to a doctor as soon as they start displaying symptoms.
The letter reads: “Many of our children and the odd teacher have come down with the Adenovirus. It is a group of viruses that can affect the membrane of the respiratory tract, eyes, intestines, urinary tract and the nervous system.
WARNING: The school’s letter issued to parents
“This virus is often accompanied with a high fever, diarrhoea and vomiting.
“A doctor’s report of one of the pupils states that the virus is contagious and pupils must remain at home.
“If your children display any of these symptoms, please take them to the doctor or day hospital as hallucinations coupled with the high fever have been reported.”
This comes after a message went viral on social media about the Adenovirus and Swine Flu in the Cape. It stated that there were five confirmed cases at Gatesville Medical Centre.
The message from an unknown source reads: “I can officially say that we have five confirmed H1N1 cases at Gatesville which three of them are kids under the age of five and members of our community. Please don’t self medicate if any severe flu symptoms and request ur GP to do an oral swab.”[sic]
In 2009, a swine flu pandemic (H1N1) hit when the virus shifted from pigs to humans. The first victim was Stellenbosch University student Ruan Muller.
The Western Cape Education Department referred queries to Western Cape Government Health Department.
Spokesman Mark van der Heever says they are aware of a possible Adenovirus outbreak at Montagu Drive Primary and are doing laboratory tests.
He added that Swine Flu was now part of the seasonal flu and that there was no reason to panic.
“We received telephonic notification from the school this morning about the Adenovirus, and we are following up with them. We are awaiting the medical results and the laboratory report for further analysis and investigation.
“H1N1 is no longer a notifiable disease as was the case when it first became prevalent a few years ago and has been part of the seasonal flu strain since 2012.”
Meanwhile Randal Pedro, Marketing & Public Relations Manager at Gatesville Medical Centre says they have no records of children being admitted with Swine Flu: “According to our knowledge and records we do not have any children under quarantine at our Melomed Gatesville facility for the H1N1 virus.”