Swine flu: IMA urges citizens not to panic

Following media reports of more schools closing down,Sarda said swine flu is a self-limiting illness and does not need anti-viral medicines. So far,no fatalities have been reported in India. The IMA has also requested the doctors not to send every case to Naidu Hospital as it will become chaotic there.

Charting the outbreak,the IMA members explained that the outbreak of swine flu started in Mexico on March 18 this year and later spread to USA,Canada and Latin American nations. The World Health Organisation has heightened the pandemic level to phase 6,implying widespread human infection.

The transmission of swine flu virus is by droplet infection which means,infected swine flu patient can transmit the virus while talking,sneezing and coughing. It takes 1-7 days to contract actual infection.

The IMA listed the swine flu symptoms like fever,cough,sore throat,headache,bodyache,fatigue,diarrhea and vomiting. In a suspected case of swine flu,a person will show respiratory symptoms and fever. And in confirmed case,a person’s real time PCR will be positive only in the identified laboratories — National Institute of Communicable Disease,New Delhi,and National Institute of Virology,Pune.

The treatments of confirmed cases involve isolation of patients and tamiflu tablet which is also recommended for prophylaxis. “The medicines are available with government organisations in sufficient quantity and not with private medical practitioners as they might have side effects,’’ they said.

If a child comes in contact with suspected or confirmed cases,home quarantine is must for seven days.