Swine flu: six samples test negative

Late on Friday night,four passengers three in Delhi and one at Hyderabad were referred to the identified health facilities. The samples of those who disembarked at Delhi have tested negative for Influenza A. The samples of the Hyderabad passenger are being tested now, Health Ministry officials said.

Meanwhile,screening of passengers coming from affected countries is continuing at 18 international airports in the country. Screening of passengers at Varanasi will start from Sunday. A total of 33,936 passengers have been screened so far and 126 doctors and 71 paramedics have been deployed to man 51 counters at various airports.

Over 15 countries have reported confirmed cases of the flu so far.

Experts are worried that since the symptoms of both the novel virus as well as a seasonal virus are similar,people may not take it seriously,and have recommended visiting a doctor as soon as one starts coughing and feeling symptoms like flu.

The symptoms like cough and cold accompanied by headache and fever are similar. However,the only difference is while the seasonal flu affects the upper respiratory tract,this virus affects the lower respiratory tract resulting in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, said Dr Randeep Guleria,Professor of Medicine at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences AIIMS.

One cannot avoid going to a doctor if the fever persists at 38 degree celsius. The complications in the lower respiratory tract result in pneumonia,which caused the one death in the US. It is therefore important to visit a doctor if these symptoms persist, said a senior NICD official.

Experts say India has the required machinery for testing and will be able to control the situation if an emergency erupts in the country.

The H1N1 influenza,which originated in Mexico in pigs,has acquired the ability of human-to-human transmission,making it all the more dangerous.

According to the World health Organisation WHO,the situation continues to evolve and India should brace itself. Cases are occurring rapidly all over the world. There is a need for highly intensified surveillance in India too. This is the time when preparations in India should be at the highest level. It is happening in many countries,it may come to India too, said Dr J P Narain,Director,Communicable Diseases,WHO regional office.