Swine flu patient recovering

The 23-year-old student,who was the first person to suffer from swine flu in India,is stable and recovering at the Government General and Chest Hospital at Erragadda. The National Institute of Communicable Diseases NICD,New Delhi,found evidence of the H1N1 strain in throat secretions and blood samples of the student of Indiana University,Bloomington. The National Institute of Virology NIV,Pune,also found evidence of the presence of H1N1 strain in the patients samples.

The student who arrived in Hyderabad on May 14 from New York has been quarantined and doctors are advising his family members on how to take care of themselves so that they are not infected. The patient from Hyderabad was first screened by the medical team stationed at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.

The patient is properly isolated and all necessary precautions,according to WHO standards,have been taken. Theres no need to panic, said K Sudhakar of the Government General and Chest Hospital.

Health department officials said that the students co-passengers,sitting three rows ahead and behind,were being contacted for screening. They had been advised to stay indoors for at least seven days and look out for symptoms like cold,cough and breathing problems.