After dengue, Punjab faces swine flu threat

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 30

Already battling with rising incidents of dengue, the State Health Department is now facing the threat of swine flu (H1N1 influenza).

Acting proactively, the Health Department has asked civil surgeons and medical superintendents of different government hospitals to set up flu corners at the OPDs to quarantine suspected swine flu patients. The isolation corners will be ready within a week’s time. Moreover, specialists will take care of these corners and also examine the patients.

Apart from Civil Hospital, the said corners will also be set up at the sub-divisional hospitals. 

The flu corners are being set up so that all the patients having influenza-like illness (ILI) such as cough, cold, and fever could be isolated from the rest of the population. 

The State Health Department has also asked the District Health Department to inoculate the paramedical staff, OPD and IPD staff with H1N1 vaccines and told to wear masks and gloves while treating swine flu patients.

As many as 541 confirmed cases and 31 swine flu-related deaths have been reported across the state from January till date.

Dr Gagandeep Grover, state nodal officer, swine flu control programme, said, “All the precautionary measures have already been taken. Doctors across the state have already been directed to provide immediate health care to anyone, who shows symptoms of the H1N1.”

He added that awareness activities were on and special directions to handle the swine flu patients had already been given to the district in-charges.

He said, “The Health Department is all geared up to tackle any situation. Four government hospitals have ventilator facilities in place, while private hospitals are being roped in to provide the said facility. If people report to the government health facility in time we would be able to control both morbidity and mortality.”