A/H1N1 cases in Uganda rise to five

The cases of the A/H1N1 flu in Uganda have risen to five since the first case was confirmed in the East African country early this month, an official said here on Monday, Xinhua reported.
  

Sam Okware, chairperson of the national Influenza A taskforce, told Xinhua by telephone that the two new cases contracted the disease from one of their family members, an infected Ugandan business woman, who had traveled back home from Britain.
  

"They are not infectious, they have no symptoms, we only have to keep them under quarantine for an additional seven days then we allow them to move out," he said.
  

The chairperson said they were confirmed positive on Sunday.
  

The first case was a 40-year-old British citizen who arrived at Uganda's Entebbe International Airport on June 26 and was confirmed positive on July 2. He was discharged from hospital on July 5.
  

Last week, a Ugandan athlete was confirmed to be infected with the A/H1N1 flu in Serbia during the university games.
  

Uganda's health ministry suspects the student, who has been treated and is recovering, caught the infection during his three flight journey.
  

So far, 15 suspected cases of the A/H1N1 virus have been screened, of which three have been confirmed to be imported cases and two contracted locally.
  

The country has stocked over 40,000 doses of Tamiflu drugs which have proved effective in treating the highly contagious viral disease. A national task force was formed in April this year to coordinate technical efforts and lay strategies for preparedness and response.
  

Uganda is the second East African country to register an outbreak after neighboring Kenya which reported its first case on June 29.
  

A/H1N1 flu is transmitted through the air as a result of sneezing, coughing or touching contaminated materials or surfaces.
  

The symptoms of the disease include sudden on-set of fever, sore throat and cough. They occur within three to seven days after contacting with an infected person.   A/H1N1 flu broke out in Mexico in April before spreading to other countries. Nearly 100,000 laboratory confirmed cases. About 400 deaths have so far been reported globally.