The government said that it will allow designated private laboratories and hospitals to screen and treat H1N1 patients
Stressing that “there is no cause for panic” as swine flu is less virulent than seasonal flu, the government said on Friday that it is equipped to deal with the outbreak and will allow designated private laboratories and hospitals to screen and treat H1N1 patients.
The government’s assurance came even as H1N1 cases in the country touched 711, with 96 of them being reported on Friday.
The level of alert is, however, being kept at four, and screening will continue at airports since a third of the confirmed cases were people flying in from abroad, said Union health secretary Naresh Dayal. The government has written to chief secretaries of states, asking them to identify hospitals, including private ones, for testing and treating swine flu.
The states have also been asked to set up separate helplines.
“The government has not said that private hospitals and labs cannot test [swine flu patients], but they must have adequate facilities. In Pune, the girl who died was tested at a private lab which had given a negative report,” said Dayal.
He said the government’s reference labs would verify the facilities and capacity of private labs before accrediting them.
Dayal said Tamiflu, the only potent drug against H1N1 virus, was being provided at government hospitals free. It is not being made available at chemist shops “keeping in mind the Indian habit of self-medication and popping pills without prescription”, said the health secretary. The “indiscriminate use” of the drug will make the virus “resistant to it”, he said.
India has enough stock of 72 lakh capsules, which will be replenished to 10 million.
Health officials, however, conceded that it will take four to seven months before a potent vaccine against influenza will be ready for humans.
Secretary for health research Dr VM Katoch said the vaccine is expected to be ready in time “for the second or third wave” of the swine flu outbreak.
Seeking to allay fears, the health officials said there was no cause for panic. “It is less virulent than the seasonal, common flu in the country and the seasonal flu also claims many more lives. Swine flu, with hundreds of cases, has claimed only one life, and 484 of those who had it have been treated, cured and sent home,” Dayal stressed.
Dr Katoch said the transmission of the H1N1 virus does not happen in 90% of the cases.
But said the vulnerable groups “like children and those already suffering from some disease” should take precautions.
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