JOIN USNumber of swine flu cases very low in City: Official
H1N1 Influenza or the Swine Flu, which has spread to 120 countries in the world, has taken the number of confirmed cases to 94,512, including 429 deaths. The City alone has confirmed more than 25 cases since June and last week, even reported the first case of human to human transmission.
The chances of the virus spreading within the City cannot be ruled out as many people arriving in the City are developing symptoms after reaching here. United Kingdom alone reported more than 50,000 cases and the government there has stopped admitting patients in hospitals and is requesting them to stay in home-quarantine. The UK Government has also suggested that patients have a ‘flu friend’ to assist them in bringing in the antiviral drug (TamiFlu) from outside.
Delivering a talk on the virus at the Annual Science Festival organised by Bangalore Science Forum here on Wednesday, former Programme Officer of UNICEF, Dr M Seenappa said, the Health department must play a vital role in spreading awareness about the possible transmission of virus within the City.
He said, “As of now the number is very low, but it takes just one positive patient to spread the virus to ten others if necessary precaution is not taken.”
There have been on and off cases of bird flu (H5N1) in some countries, if this virus combines with that of H1N1, then the situation could go out of control as it is a deadly combination.
Health Services Director Dr Usha Vasunkar said that their surveillance team is taking initiative to track down passengers who had travelled along with patients who have tested positive. She said: “While we screen passengers at the airport we provide them with a ‘screening card’. We make arrangement to send prophylaxes (TamiFlu) to passengers who were seated very close to patients who test positive later.
She added that a Control Room number 1056 provides all details regarding H1N1 Flu.
Deliberating on the awareness measures, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases Director Dr Shashidhar Buggi said that the suspected cases who visit the Institute are given tips on how to stay at home. “We tell the suspected patients not to attend functions or mingle in public. We advise them to stay in home-quarantine till they overcome the symptoms.” The antiviral drug (TamiFlu) is showing signs of resistance to H1N1 and the vaccine ‘Pan Bloc’ manufactured by Protien Science Corporation Meriden, Connecticut, US is likely to be out for clinical trial by September or October. Then the big question will be who gets vaccinated first, he said.
H1N1 Influenza update
A 24-year-old man, who arrived from Malaysia, tested positive with H1N1 Flu virus on Wednesday. He has been admitted to the Lakeside Medical Centre and Hospital.
This patient had travelled along with another patient who tested positive on Tuesday. Though they arrived from Malaysia on the same day, this patient developed symptoms much later.
The Lakeside Hospital discharged one patient and admitted one more on Wednesday.
At the Victoria hospital, two patients - 25 and 26 years old who arrived from Singapore - tested positive on Tuesday.
Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) received 12 patients. Seven throat swab samples were sent to National Institute of Virology, Pune.