Ten new deaths due to Swine flu were reported in Gujarat on Friday. The death toll has reached 186 with 2,637 total cases from the state. Also, 266 new cases were recorded from 21 districts out of total 33 from across Gujarat. The 10 new deaths were reported from Rajkot (3), Vadodara (2) Anand (2), Ahmedabad (1), Surat (1) and Gandhinagar (1). As many as 266 new Swine flu cases were reported in a single day, maximum of which was from Ahmedabad that recorded 107 new cases on Friday. Surat had 46, Kutch 13, Vadodara 12, Sabarkantha, Rajkot and Amreli nine each, Gandhinagar and Anand eight each, Mehsana, Bhavnagar and Banaskantha seven each, Bharuch, Morbi and Porbandar four each, Kheda and Jamnagar three each, Panchmahal two, Surendranagar, Patan and Arvalli one each. The state health department is pressing upon the need for public awareness on Swine flu, its symptoms, precautions and right medication. “The only solution at the moment is public awareness. As there is no precise reason or a phenomenon behind transmission of Swine flu in the state, we are trying to spread maximum awareness among general public who can take all possible steps to protect themselves,” said deputy director health Dr Dinkar Raval. [related-post] The state health department is also not in the favour of declaring it as an epidemic. “This would not serve any purpose. We cannot stop people from attending social functions but can only ask them to be aware,” he added. On Friday, the 108 emergency helpline service declared as a Swine flu toll free number for general information as well as treatment for Swine flu received 286 calls from across the state. Out of this, maximum were seeking general information and signs and symptoms of Swine flu. At present, there are five testing centres for Swine flu in the state — two in Ahmedabad (Sola and civil hospital), Rajkot, Bhuj and Surat. So far, Ahmedabad recorded total 822 cases and 46 deaths. With Swine flu cases on a rapid increase in Ahmedabad, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has been put on an alert. After Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner D Thara conducted a meeting with private practitioners and hospitals on Thursday visited all three civil hospitals — VS Hospital, LG Hospital and Sola. She along with the health department team visited Swine flu OPD and isolation wards to review the situation in these hospitals. Also, on Friday, all the deputy commissioners addressed a meeting with principals, trustees and representatives of private schools in their respective wards. During the meeting, the private schools were shown a detailed presentation on Swine flu. While, schools have been asked to send students on leave those who have cough and fever, there is no need to give Swine flu vaccine. Along side survey of students is also being conducted in private schools. The AMC has also directed private practitioners in each ward to conduct meetings with private schools on the awareness and actions to be taken against Swine flu.
