Four more tests positive for swine flu,nationwide cases 63

The fresh cases in Delhi included that of a 25-year-old man,who travelled from the US,and a 29-year-old woman,who came to the city from Canada,a Health Ministry official said,adding the total number of cases so far in the capital has risen to 26.

In Pune,a 24-year-old man who came from the US tested positive for the virus while the case in Mumbai involved a 23-year-old woman who travelled from Melbourne.

In Baderwah in Jammu and Kashmir,Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad,said,”It is because of the multi- pronged strategy adopted by the ministry that the cases of swine flu remained almost negligible in India as compared to 275 other countries.”

Of the total 63 cases,37 have been discharged while rest of the patients remain admitted to various hospitals across the country.

Meanwhile,the Health Ministry has decided to do away with testing of blood samples for swine flu at the National Institute of Virology in Pune and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases here.

“We have decided to do away with testing at two laboratories. It was a new virus. The testing parameters had to be developed. Now we are confident that there is no need to test at two centres,” said Vineet Choudhury,Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry.

Another senior official dismissed reports that the condition of a swine flu-affected woman in the capital was deteriorating and said her condition was,in fact,improving.

“She was tested positive and her treatment was started immediately. She is also a known case of chronic respiratory illness for which she was put on ventilator. She continues to be on ventilator. A group of experts are attending to her,” the official said.

On the other hand,Tamiflu has been made available in all government hospitals where treatment is offered,the official said adding preventive medicines given to suspected cases of H1N1 infection has also made available in enough quantity.

In Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar,a youth working in a rolling mill in South Africa,who was admitted to the district hospital with suspected symptoms,was discharged after he tested negative.

In Delhi,Health Minister Kiran Walia said there was no need to panic even though over 20 cases were reported from the city. Making a suo motu statement in the Assembly,she said nine of them have already been discharged from hospitals.