The spurt in swine flu cases has brought some extra urgency in the efforts to combat the life-threatening disease. Health Minister Dr Deepak Sawant held an urgent meeting to review the situation and said a decision on offering free treatment for hospitalised patients would be taken in two days. He also announced a revision in treatment guidelines. He said doctors were being instructed to administer oseltamivir within a day of H1N1 symptoms. [related-post] “This is an outbreak and a person with more than 100 degrees fever, cold, cough and related symptoms should be put on oseltamivir within a day,” Sawant told reporters after a meeting with doctors and state health officials at B J Medical College on Wednesday evening. “We have cut down waiting period from 48 to 24 hours to initiate oseltamivir anti-viral drug treatment,” Sawant said ruling out resistance to drugs if the five-day course is completed by suspected swine flu patients. There have been 235 deaths across the state, 50 in Pune alone and 18 in Pimpri-Chinchwad.Officials said more than 2,000 people had been diagnosed with swine flu since January. Unseasonal showers have added to the problem, Sawant said and urged citizens to take precautionary measures like avoiding morning walks when there is mist in the air which can carry the virus. “There is a lot of mist and virus in the air. It is also wise to avoid taking children to crowded places,” he added. Sawant said some schools have advised children to wear masks. He called it a welcome move. He reiterated that there was no mutation of the virus and that oseltamivir was still effective. Referring to the CM’s announcement on providing free treatment to swine flu patients at private hospitals, the health minister categorically said he would not be able to make any announcement. Sawant said the government would ensure the poor availed of the facility but added: “We will arrive at a decision in the next two days.”
