60 officials examined before operation

Ritika Jha Palial

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 18

A team of 60 officials identified for carrying out culling operations at the Sukhna Lake were screened by physicians at the Government Multi Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, today for assessing any predisposition to infections and their immunity levels before carrying out culling.

Of these, three were found unfit due to lifestyle diseases and 18 were quarantined post-exposure to birds during culling, in wake of the first case of a goose carrying the Avian or bird flu virus (H5N1 virus) detected on Wednesday in the city.

The quarantining process involved restricting these individuals to their residences and putting them on tamiflu dosage for 10 days. They were also told not to keep direct contact with other human beings.

“There is no reason to panic. All preparations have been made to handle the cases of flu if needed. But, as of now, there is no case found or suspected in human beings,” said Dr Gopal Bhardwaj, head, department of internal medicine at GMSH-16.

Quarantining is a preventive measure against the threat of transmission of the virus to other individuals from an infected person. The H5N1 virus that causes bird flu is highly contagious and proves deadly if not diagnosed on time.

Isolation wards have been set up in all three hospitals — GMSH-16, GMCH-32 and the PGI for treatment of infected patients needing extra care. Common patients at the hospitals were being restricted from entering the isolated area in all the three hospitals.

Five rapid response teams (trained to provide treatment to chronic patients infected with virus using protective gears) are at present on the guard in city for treatment and control of tramsissions of the virus in case any epidemic.