Kenya's health authorities said on Monday they have stepped-up surveillance at all entry following the confirmation of the first H1N1 flu case in the country.

Public Health and Sanitation Minister Beth Mugo said tests carried out on samples of a 20-year-old British student at the Kenya Medical Research Institute and National Influenza Center had tested positive for Influenza A/H1N1.

The student, who was in group of 34 British students, arrived in Kenya via Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on June 21. On arrival, the student and his colleagues later travelled by bus to Kisumu where they are undertaking field studies.

"Two days later on arrival in Kisumu, the medical student developed a headache and joint pains where his samples were taken at a local facility before they were flown to Nairobi for testing on Sunday," Mugo said.

She said a team of doctors was closely monitoring the medical student who developed a headache and joint pains before becoming the first case of A/H1N1 influenza virus in Kenya.

After the confirmation of the first case, the minister said the government had now put in place a heightened alert for the flu.

The new strain, which is transmitted from human to human, has not circulated previously in humans. The virus is contagious, spreading easily from one person to another and from one country to another.

"We have embarked on tracing any contacts that the students have made while in Kenya. If any of the contacts will exhibit flu-like symptoms, they will be tested and if found positive they will be appropriately managed," Mugo said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the disease has infected more than 70,000 worldwide and killed 311.

Africa has been relatively spared but cases, mainly in people who had been traveling from North America, have over the past month been reported in Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa and Cote d'Ivoire.

During a news conference in Nairobi, Mugo said the student is said to have presented himself to a health facility in Kisumu after his girlfriend called him from Nottingham, Britain, saying she had tested positive for the disease.

The Health Ministry officials had quarantined the group of British students who are staying in a Kisumu hotel. Following the confirmation, Mugo has, however, moved fast in allaying fears by urging Kenyans not to panic over the disease.

The flu "is a relatively mild illness in areas affected, and therefore there should be no cause for panic ... In a majority of cases, the disease does not require hospitalization and it's most likely that there will be more cases of H1N1 in Kenya."

The British High Commission in Nairobi said that it had been in touch with the 34 nationals who were under quarantine.

Speaking on Capital FM radio station, the high commissioner's spokesperson Charley Williams said they were in constant touch with the students and their tour leader.

The families of the students had been notified of the developments. "We have been in touch with the students and they are getting all the assistance they need," Williams said on phone.

She said the students were being "monitored to isolate any possible spread of the virus". The government has dispatched some doses of Tamiflu -- a drug that is administered to suppress the flu -- to Kisumu in case the student whose case had been classified as mild required them.

The minister said Kenya has slightly more than 50,000 Tamiflu doses in the stockpiles and that they would be dispatched in accordance with emerging need.

"I know there are some doctors who have been calling asking whether they can buy them and I think from the Saturday scare in Sarit center, Kenyans are panicking; we don't need to do that," said Mugo.

"The public should however, remain calm since my ministry and partners have already put in place appropriate preventive measures... Currently, we have stocked over 50,000 doses of Tamiflu which is used to treat this disease. Patients with flu-like illness should seek medical care especially those with other chronic diseases," the minister said.

"We should also like to inform the public that the current flu vaccine does not protect against the new H1N1," the minister said. The ministry had in the meantime informed WHO about the single case.

On Saturday, a Kenyan girl who studies in Britain reported to hospital after saying that she had come into contact with someone who had been infected with the flu. Her tests however turned negative.

According to WHO, Tamiflu does not cure -- it just reduces the severity of the disease thus managing it.

Currently there is no vaccine available to protect against the A/H1N1 influenza virus which was first reported in Mexico in Apriland has since been spreading fast to other parts of the world.

WHO has previously said it was in the process of producing a vaccine but it would take about six months from the time the first case was reported.

"As of now, the most effective preventive measures are good hygiene practices which should include frequent washing of hands with soap, covering mouth and nose with disposable tissue, avoiding touching of eyes, nose and mouth," officials of the world health body have recommended.

Kenya's largest referral hospital has issued an assurance that it is well prepared to handle any outbreaks of the A/H1N1 influenza.

Kenyatta National Hospital Public Relations Officer Simon Ithae said the isolation wards were set up in April when the disease began spreading from Mexico.

"We have appropriate gear, medicine to handle the disease (and) masks. We have all it takes and should it occur we will be in full control," he said.

The hospital was collaborating with other health agencies to coordinate any relevant information on the A/H1N1 influenza, he added.

Source:Xinhua