Nine fresh positive cases in B'lore

 
With panic still floating in the air, 300 patients thronged the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD). Around 86 throat swabs were collected to be tested at the Nimhans lab.

To ease the screening process at RGICD, an additional six doctors were recruited from Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH) to monitor paediatric cases on Wednesday.

Apart from IGICH, doctors from Jayanagar General Hospital were also recruited making 11 counters at RGICD to screen the flow of suspected H1N1 Influenza patients. However, a doctor from RGICD said that many patients are visiting the Institute out of panic or were being referred by private practitioners.

Clarifying on the shortage of testing kits, doctors at RGICD said that there was a shortage of swab sticks (Dacron) used for collecting swabs and Viral Transport Media (VTM) contained to store the samples of swabs. However, 100 swab sticks and VTM were delivered to the Institute on Wednesday to RGICD by the Health Secretary.

At the Nimhans Lab, Head of Department (Neuro-Virology), Dr V Ravi said that they have received supplies of 120 PCR (Polymerase chain reaction) kits and reagent chemicals used for testing purposes. The State government was likely to buy 500 PCR kits for testing purposes in the coming months from a private pharmaceutical company in the State, he added.