Pretoria - South Africans including people who are arriving for the FIFA Confederations Cup should not panic, following the announcement by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise the influenza A (H1N1) to a global pandemic status.
The Department of Health said the monitoring and surveillance systems that the country has in place will enable it to respond appropriately if a need arises.
"There is no need for anyone in the country including those who are still to arrive for the Confederations Cup to panic.
"To date, there are no cases of influenza A (H1N1) reported in South Africa and the department would like to reassure everyone that measures have been put in place since the outbreak to ensure preparedness and rapid response should any case be identified in the country," department spokesperson Fidel Hadebe said on Friday.
WHO have raised its swine flu alert to the highest level, declaring its first global influenza pandemic in 40 years.
In a statement sent to member countries, WHO said it has decided to raise the alert level from phase 5 to 6, meaning a global pandemic of swine flu is under way.
WHO made its decision amid evidence that the virus was being widely spread in Asia, Europe and America.
The swine flu started in Mexico two months ago and has since spread to other countries.
By Wednesday, the disease had spread to 74 countries with a cumulative total of 28 774 confirmed cases and 144 deaths.
The WHO held its fourth Emergency Committee meeting on Wednesday, at which it considered the latest available information on the transmission of the influenza A (H1N1) virus in a number of locations in countries in different regions of the organisation and concluded that the criteria for a global pandemic has been met.
Among the measures that have been put in place by the department since the outbreak to ensure preparedness and rapid response should any case be identified in the country included the provision and implementation of guidelines on Pandemic Influenza Preparedness, Influenza Case management and prevention.
Operational Outbreak Response Teams have been set up in all provinces and training of provincial rapid response teams on influenza pandemic preparedness and response has been conducted in all provinces.
Heightened clinical and laboratory surveillance are in place to identify any suspected case of influenza A (H1N1).
Mr Hadebe stressed that the department will continue to maintain a high level of vigilance and preparedness.
"Following WHO's recommendation that there is no need for the closure of any borders or restrictions to international travel and trade, South Africa will not institute any such measure," Mr Hadebe said.
