Fact Check: Do not panic, flu-like illness is ‘common cold’ not Covid-19

Claim: There was wide speculation of a Covid-19 resurgence or an outbreak of a new flu strain in Zimbabwe after health authorities registered an unprecedented 87,000 new influenza cases since the beginning of January 2024, with 3,956 suspected cases recorded in one week.

Is this true or false?

Verdict: False

The peculiar increase in influenza cases prompted the Ministry of Health and Child Care to investigate whether the surge was associated with Covid-19 or a new virus.

In a statement posted on their X account, the Ministry of Health and Child Care reassured the public that “the flu-like illnesses seen in the country are due to the common cold”. “The winter season is associated with increased incidence of common colds and that is what has been seen so far. The cases are neither due to Covid-19 or other new viruses. There is no viral pandemic in Zimbabwe,” it said.

The ministry urged the public to “lead healthy lifestyles, take lots fluids, keep warm and where necessary take over-the-counter common cold remedies.”