“People must not panic”

By Nomava Nobumba
03 August 2009

Those were the exact words by the Western Cape Health Department, when the cases of H1N1 virus confirmed in the province.

But this department is still repeating its words after this virus claimed a life in the province.

“I want to reassure our public that there is no need to panic. The student who lost his life did not have an underlying medical condition, or compromised immune system,” said the Western Cape minister for Health Theuns Botha.

Minister Botha said the death was unusual, and the overwhelming number of people who contract the virus, recover fully.

A 22 year old student from the University of Stellenbosch was the first victim of this virus, when he died within a week after contracting the virus.