Swine flu case keeps Health Dept on toes

Satinder Pal Singh

Dera Bassi, July 25

The Health Department has stepped up surveillance and has directed its officials in the Constituency, especially in the Baltana area, to monitor closely outbreak of H1N1 virus (swine flu) after Zirakpur reported the season’s first such case.

Rita Bhardwaj, Civil Surgeon, Mohali, said: “Officials in the Constituency have been asked to remain on alert and stocks of antiviral drugs have also been made available at the hospitals”.

The Civil Surgeon said the Health Department had already catalysed its team and doctors had been asked to collect samples of those showing swine flu-like symptoms and take all precautionary measures to curtail the spread of the disease.

“Though this is just the first case of the season, the department is not willing to take any chances,” the Civil Surgeon said.

She said sensitising training for health staff had been conducted based on which they had been asked to spread awareness among the people regarding the flu, which shares symptoms with common fever.

The Civil Surgeon had also directed the officials to conduct proper awareness campaigns to encourage people to take medical advice as soon as they show swine flu-like symptoms to prevent delay in treatment.

Health officials said the entire family of Sunita Rani, (swine flu patient), had been given a dosage of Tamiflu, the preventive and treatment medicine of influenza H1N1.

“We have contacted all others who were in contact with victim Sunita Rani and they are all in good health. No one is suffering from common cold, headache, sore throat, fever or flu-like symptoms,” said officials of the Health Department.

Sunita Rani, a resident of Ekta Vihar, Baltana, had tested positive for swine flu. The test report of her throat swab from the PGI, which became available on Sunday evening, had confirmed the H1N1 infection. Health officials claimed that the patient travelled to Rajasthan 10-15 days ago and chances were that she might have contracted the virus there.