"I know for a fact we haven't stockpiled [on medicines to treat swine flu]. If you don't have a national stockpile, that's it - you're not going to get the drugs in time."
The Democratic Alliance's health spokesperson also warned that the influenza threat should be taken very seriously. "South Africa is a long physical distance from the outbreak, but it would take only one passenger arriving on a long-haul flight to let loose an outbreak here," he said.
Any major outbreak of swine flu in South Africa would not only pose a health threat to other African countries, but may also lead to the football tournament the FIFA Confederations Cup being cancelled. Any such outbreak would lead to major repercurssions for the country and the continent as well.
At the first news of suspected cases of swine flu in South Africa, FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke was reportedly considering the possibility of cancelling the tournament.
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