As H1N1 flu cases rise in the state,expert teams from National Institute of Communicable Diseases NICD have come to check for the formation of clusters in the state. According to health officials,cluster formation means that there has been a large number of cases in a particular area.
They have come to study the spread of the virus,to see what can be further learnt about the virus. That will form the basis of advice
to the government in its planning for the epidemic, said Additional Chief Secretary,Health,Sharvaree Gokhale.
Four experts are camping in Pune city,two are in Satara while a team of two is scheduled to arrive in Mumbai. In Pune,which has the largest number of patients so far,health officials have screened as many as 21,000 people.
Satara has witnessed quick spread of the disease among schoolchildren in the hill station of Panchgani,which has a large number of residential schools.
Health officials have been wary of cluster formations as it would indicate that the virus has developed locally and spread in the community.