Malawi monitors flu, rules out link to Covid

The Public Health Institute of Malawi (Phim) has conceded that there are rising cases of flu in the country, but described them as a result of cold weather and not Covid-19.

Phim director Matthew Kagoli, in an interview yesterday, dismissed suggestions that the flu could be linked to Covid-19, saying it is not unique as it thrives during the cold weather. He said the cases are also common in countries, including South Africa.

“We know that there are a lot of flu bouts which is not unique to this year because they always happen, but we are conducting sentinel surveillance to observe the trends of the flu viruses circulating in our population,” he said.

Commenting on concerns that some flu patients are not responding to antibiotics, Kagoli said flu is caused by a virus while antibiotics treat infections.

He said that in cases where patients have secondary bacterial infections leading to symptoms such as fever and cough, antibiotics are administered.

But Kagoli said some patients may not respond to drugs such as bactrim and amoxillin due to abuse of the drugs which leads to resistance to antibiotics.

In a separate interview, Phim national focal person for influenza surveillance Limbikani Chaponda said there has been no death recorded in Malawi due to the seasonal flu.

Phim data shows that Covid-19 May and June had five Covid-19 cases each while for July, six cases have so far been reported..

The World Health Organization (WHO) in May last year declared that Covid-19 is no longer a public health emergency.

Seasonal influenza also called the flu is an acute respiratory infection which is common in most parts of the world but most people recover without treatment, according to WHO.