Swine flu claimed its first victim in South Africa when a 22-year-old student died after contacting the virus, prompting the government to assure people not to panic.
The victim, a student at University of Stellenbosch, died of the disease last week. Test results on him released yesterday confirmed that he had succumbed to A(H1N1) strain of influenza, commonly known as swine-flu.
Provincial health minister in Western Cape Province, Theuns Botha called for calm while assuring residents, especially parents concerned about their children at schools, that "there is no need to panic".
With most South African public schools having reopened last week, there has been concern that children could easily contract the virus from those already infected, but authorities said no cases of serious illness were reported.
Some schools have postponed scheduled sports meetings as a precautionary measure, while two private schools in Johannesburg announced an extended week of holidays to safeguard its pupils.
Health authorities have stopped testing mild flu cases during the winter season here, but people were flocking to their private doctors out of concern from being affected by the deadly virus.
South Africa is monitoring the situation carefully, as the nation prepares to host the biggest sporting event in its history -- FIFA World Cup 2010.
