Lab tests rule out swine flu in Kenya

• Minister says there’s no cause for alarm after examination yields negative results

The government on Saturday sought to allay fears that the H1N1 virus had entered the country.

Releasing results from the Kenya Medical Research Institute laboratories on a patient earlier suspected to have contracted the virus, Public Health minister Beth Mugo ruled out the presence of the virus in the country.

“We should, however, expect more similar cases in the future as more Kenyans who are students in Europe jet in for holiday,” said Ms Mugo.

News about the patient had spread across Nairobi via SMS overnight on Friday causing panic among residents especially shoppers at the popular Sarit Centre.

The government has started investigations into the origin of alarming messages sent around Nairobi warning people to avoid the Sarit Centre over a suspected case of swine flu.

Director of Information Ezekiel Mutua told the Sunday Nation that the ministry of Information was working in conjunction with mobile telephone service providers and the police to trace the origin of the messages.

“These are people who are out to cause panic and alarm. They are hooligans who are out to interrupt business in the country as happened at Sarit Centre,” said Mr Mutua.

He said that under the Kenya Communication Amendment Act, 2008, sending such messages could land someone in jail for five years.

Kenyan health authorities were sent on the alert on Friday when a patient was found with symptoms similar to those associated with the H1N1 virus.