Swine flu: Health Dept on alert

Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 12

The death of the tabla instructor of Government Model High School, Sector 34, has sent alarm bells ringing in the Heath Department.

Come Wednesday, the UT Heath Department will be sending advisory to all schools in the city, urging the educational institutions to keep a check on children and teachers who are suspected to be suffering from influenza-like symptoms. Further, the Health Department is planning to launch a campaign for sensitising parents as well.

During the campaign, the parents will be urged not to send their wards to school if the latter suffer from flu-like symptoms.

Dr Gaurav Aggarwal, nodal officer of the UT Health Department, said the department would be sending the advisory to all schools on Wednesday, requesting them for an early check-up of students suffering from influenza-like symptoms.

“We cannot take the children for granted. Awareness among them is also important.  If the students see anyone of their classmates suffering from influenza-like symptoms, they should inform the school authorities or the Heath Department. The school managements should also tell patients to avoid sending their wards to school if the latter suffers from such symptoms,” said Dr Gaurav Aggarwal.

Besides, the Heath Department has started spreading awareness through the public announcement system across the city with special focus on peripheral areas.

“We have been witnessing that parents are sending their children to schools while ignoring influenza-like symptoms. The affected children are travelling in buses and sitting in classrooms with other children, which poses a threat of spreading the virus,” said a Health Department official.

Chandigarh: Two days after a PGI doctor tested positive for swine flu, two more persons, including a doctor, of the GMCH, Sector 32, tested positive for the flu.

Dr Gaurav Aggarwal, Nodal Officer of the UT Health Department,  confirmed that  the 27-year-old doctor was residing at the GMCH hostel, while the 52-year-old man was residing in Sector 30. She said both patients had been admitted to the GMCH- 32.

The team was probing as how the woman doctor came in contact with influenza. Besides, the health team has started preventive treatment of hostel mates of the woman doctor. According to Dr Aggarwal, 29 patients were tested positive for the flu.

4 test positive in city, Mohali dist

Mohali: Two more positive cases of swine flu have been reported from Mohali district today.

According to the health authorities, a case has been reported from Kharar where a 28-year-old person has been tested positive for the disease. The other case is from Dera Bassi where a 26-year-old woman, a 

resident of Dera Bassi, has been admitted to Government Multi Specialty Hospital, Sector 16 in Chandigarh.

The Kharar resident is admitted to Sri Guru HarKrishan Sahib Charitable Eye Hospital in Sohana. — TNS

Precautions

• If you are sick or have flu-like symptoms, don’t step out
• Wash hands frequently
• Cover face while sneezing or coughing
• Avoid crowded places