84 new samples test positive for swine flu virus in Delhi

Eighty-four fresh cases of swine flu were reported on Sunday taking the total number of swine flu cases to 2,241 this season.

“Of the 530 tests conducted on Sunday, 84 samples tested positive for the H1N1 virus. There were no deaths reported today,” said Dr Charan Singh, nodal officer for swine flu, Directorate of Health Services (DHS).

So far, the Capital has seen nine deaths due to swine flu. The DHS has, however, confirmed eight deaths till now. The medical superintendent of Lok Nayak Hospital had confirmed the death of a pregnant woman due to swine flu on Friday.

General awarness

With a spike in the number of swine flu cases, the government has released advertisements in newspapers on the dos and don’ts of the disease. In Metro stations, announcement slots have been booked in which experts are discussing the precautions of this disease.

A large number of people are also increasingly using masks for fear of an outbreak of the infection.
However, the health department has repeatedly maintained that the situation is under control.

With reports surfacing in the media on the shortage of swine flu medicines, 40 more licences have been issued to chemists to sell swine flu medicines in addition to the existing 100 licence holders.

On Monday, the DHS is also set to issue more licences to private laboratories who can conduct tests for swine flu. Currently, there are 10 authorised labs where the tests can be conducted. On Saturday, two private laboratories were issued notices for overcharging patients for the tests. The labs were not authorised to conduct swine flu tests either.

Man sells fake H1N1 medicine, held

A man was arrested for selling fake medicines for prevention and cure of swine flu, in Gurgaon on Saturday, police said. Charan Singh, who hails from Lucknow, was living in Bijwasan area of Delhi, reports IANS from Gurgaon.

Police said he was arrested from R K Hospital in Rajendra Park area in Gurgaon, while he was supplying fake swine flu medicines. Police raided the spot after receiving information that a few people were being cheated in the name of swine flu medicines. Charan Singh employed nearly half a dozen women to give the medicines to people. They were charging Rs 40 for children and Rs 60 for an adult. “The health department will establish the reality of the recovered medicines, but certainly it was not for prevention and cure of swine flu,” a police official said.