New Delhi, June 12
India has started working on the development of swine flu vaccine, with the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology (NIV) successfully isolating the novel virus. The government has already asked WHO to share with it the seed virus — a request which the world health body has accepted on the condition that India would share the vaccine with other countries as well.

People ride past a billboard carrying messages on prevention of the Influenza A virus in Hyderabad on Friday. — Reuters

The government today confirmed the development, with the health ministry committing itself to making the vaccine available within four to six months. It is further learnt that Health Secretary had a phone conversation with the Director General, WHO, regarding sharing the seed virus with India.

“The WHO has agreed to share the seed virus with countries that commit themselves to sharing the vaccine with others. At home, we are going to fast track all regulatory processes for approval of the vaccine to deliver it as fast as possible,” said Vineet Choudhry, Joint Secretary, Health.

The government on June 8 held a meeting with indigenous vaccine manufacturers, who are looking for some kind of an assured buying by the government. ICMR is also in discussions with three major vaccine manufacturers, including Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech and Panacea Biotech. WHO is already talking to Serum Institute for the manufacture of a seasonal flu vaccine.

Worldwide, WHO has also been in close dialogue with influenza vaccine manufacturers. Production of seasonal influenza vaccines would be completed soon and full capacity would be available to ensure the largest possible supply of pandemic vaccine in the months to come, WHO said.

6-yr-old is Hyderabad’s latest victim
Suresh Dharur
Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, June 12
A fresh case of swine flu has been reported here taking the total number of infected persons to eight in Andhra Pradesh.

A six-year-old girl, who arrived here on an Air India flight from New York on June 9, has tested positive for H1N1 virus, the officials said. She has since been quarantined at the government chest hospital in the city. With this, the total number of Influenza A (H1N1) cases in the country rose to 16.

The girl had arrived here along with her family members. Though her parents have tested negative, the hospital is awaiting test results of her six-month-old brother.

Three patients have been treated and discharged from the chest hospital, the nodal centre for swine flu cases, since May 16, when the first case was reported.

A four-month-old child who arrived from New Jersey yesterday has been kept under observation at the hospital after he was found with visible symptoms of swine flu. His samples have been sent to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), Delhi. Hyderabad is fast emerging as the focal point of the swine flu infection in the country, accounting for highest number of cases.

The city also witnessed the first case of human-to-human transmission of the deadly virus, affecting four persons in all. A 28-year-old software professional, who had travelled from Philadephia to the city by British Airways flight 277 on May 31, was tested positive for H1N1 influenza on June 4.

He transmitted the infection to his younger brother, a 25-year-old engineering graduate from the city. A 31-year-old woman and her four-and-half-year old daughter, who travelled by the same flight, were also infected with the virus.

The mother-daughter duo, who belong to Karimnagar district, were seated two rows behind the techie on the British Airways flight.

Meanwhile, the state government has initiated steps to trace all those who had travelled by the British Airways flight from Philadelphia to Hyderabad via London on May 31 and appealed to them to come forward and get themselves tested for swine flu without any further delay.

Stages of flu

Phase 1: No animal influenza virus circulating among animals have been reported to cause infection in humans.

Phase 2: An animal influenza virus circulating in domesticated or wild animals is known to have caused infection in humans and is, therefore, considered a specific potential pandemic threat.

Phase 3: An animal or human-animal influenza reassortant virus has caused specific cases or small clusters of disease in people but not resulted in human to human transmission sufficient to sustain community level outbreaks.

Phase 4: Human to human transmission of an animal or human-animal influenza reassortant virus able to sustain community level outbreaks is verified.

Phase 5: Same identified virus has caused sustained community-level outbreaks in two or more countries in one WHO region.

Pandemic Phase 6: In addition to the criteria defined in phase 5, the same virus has caused sustained community-level outbreaks in at least one more country of another WHO region.

For more information log on www.mohfw.nic.in 

Govt may invoke Epidemic Act
Tribune News Service