Boost immunity to stay clear of swine flu, suggest doctors

Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 16

In the past two weeks, the number of swine flu cases has surpassed the previous year’s tally of 7. Till Wednesday evening, 14 people have been tested positive for the virus. 

On Wednesday, two women were admitted to the Government Rajindra Hospital. District health authorities said the rise in the number of cases was due to a dip in temperature. Gurmeet said, “Low temperature is the key factor in the upsurge of cases since it favors the proliferation of the virus. The number of cases will decline in the coming days as the temperature rises.”

The Health Department claimed that they were well prepared tackle any eventuality. Department officials  said along with awareness campaigns, they had disbursed Tamiflu tablets among people. Civil Surgeon Dr Manjit informed that 92 primary contacts and 35 persons with Category B symptoms had been provided with the tablets.

How to prevent it 

Good immunity can prevent swine flu. This was stated by District Epidemiologist Dr Gurmeet Singh here on Wednesday. Dr Gurmeet said to maintain good immunity, a nutritious diet was a must. Whole grains, green vegetables and vitamin-rich fruits can help you stay strong. Along with diet, proper rest is also required. 

Dr Gurmeet explained, “The flu is highly contagious and it spreads quickly from person to person. Therefore, people with low immunity and co-morbid conditions are readily infected by the swine flu virus. But a normal person, with a strong immune system, will not get swine flu even if the H1N1 virus has infected a person.”

With more people across the district being affected by the deadly influenza virus, experts say people should maintain personal hygiene. Dr Gurmeet said, “Since the disease is highly contagious, personal hygiene plays a vital role in curbing its spread. Normal measures, such as washing of hands and avoiding contact with the suspected patient, are advised to everyone, especially, for the next month.”

What is swine flu

Swine flu is a respiratory disease which is caused by the H1N1 strain of the influenza virus. It has symptoms that are similar to common flu such as cough, cold, fever, body ache, chill, fatigue, headache, etc. The incubation period for the disease is about one to four days.