Swine Flu alert in hospitals across Chattisgarh

In the wake of increasing Swine Flu cases in Chhattisgarh, the health department has issued an alert to all medical colleges and hospitals across the state to take measures to prevent the spread of the disease. All the district hospitals and medical colleges in the state have been issued an advisory and the government is taking every possible step to prevent the spread of the disease, Deputy Director state's Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) Dr SM Murty told PTI.

Last week, a patient Col Dr PK Lahri (58) of Raipur was tested positive and is under treatment at a private hospital in the state capital, Dr Murty said adding he is recovering now. Eight more suspected cases were reported during past a week from the cities of Durg, Bilaspur and Raipur and their swab and blood samples have been sent to NICD for tests to confirm the presence of H1N1 virus. Besides around 15 samples of all those, who came in contact with these patients in the last few days, were also sent for test, he said.

Over the death of a young pregnant woman last evening here at a private hospital, whose samples have been sent for test, Dr Murty said her sample report is awaited and whether she was H1N1 positive or not would only be established after the arrival of her reports. Medicines for treatment of Swine Flu patients are being made available to all hospitals and they have also been told to procure medicines form various places, he added.

There is no need to panic and the situation is being closely monitored. In case of symptoms of Swine Flu, people should immediately visit doctors and get tested. There is nothing to be scared of because the disease is treatable with anti-viral drug Tamiflu, he said.