More swine flu cases detected

07 July 2009 - 02:00
By Zinhle Mapumulo

The number of swine flu cases continues to escalate in South Africa.

The number of swine flu cases continues to escalate in South Africa.

At the weekend 11 more people were diagnosed with the life-threatening fever. The latest cases bring the number of infected people to 29 in less than three weeks.

Health department spokesperson Fidel Hadebe said the 11 new cases were confirmed on Sunday.

"All the latest victims are university students who recently spent time at a tertiary institution in Gauteng for a sports event," Hadebe said.

"They presented with flu-like symptoms at hospitals and were confirmed positive by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases. The majority of them are males who shared the same residence."

Swine flu was declared a global pandemic a month ago after it first emerged in Mexico in April. It has killed more than 300 people.