Swine flu: Hospitals on alert

Institute of Communicable Diseases in New Delhi-of a woman patient in GMCH-32 and a resident of Batala in Punjab who was undergoing kidney treatment at PGI-both of which have tested negative.

The department,meanwhile,has sent out ‘preparedness circulars’ to non-health departments including railways and transport in case a swine flu case is detected in the city.

“We have not received any case,not even suspected,in the city as yet. However,since two cases have been tested positive in Delhi,we have alerted hospitals here. Monitoring of people with symptoms has been going on,” said a senior health official.

The hospitals-PGI,GMCH-32 and GMSH-16 had set up isolation wards a month ago to monitor suspected flu cases,if any.

The stock of Tamiflu-the drug to combat swine flu-was allotted to each state by the Union Health Ministry a few weeks ago.

“Preparation in terms of drug procurements and the masks has been done. We urge people not to create panic,” the health official added.

The department had earlier set up a control room working round the clock in GMSH-16 to monitor any suspected cases coming to the city.

The Department of Virology at PGI has been authorised to provide kits to the medical officer and other paramedical staff for collection of samples from the suspected influenza and flu cases.