Pune swine flu death has Ahmedabad sweating in fear

With Pune registering the first H1N1 (swine flu) death in India, the fear among Amdavadis about the spread of the disease has increased considerably.

Meanwhile a 27-year-old female doctor from Sola Civil Hospital, who was deputed at the Sardar Patel International Airport to check passengers for swine flu, has been declared H1N1 positive.

With the new case, the total number of H1N1 infected people in the state has gone up to eight. Passengers are demanding improved measures in domestic airports and railway stations to check the spread of the disease but the government feels that so far there is no need to arrange for check ups for those travelling within the country. This is because it feels that such travellers have least chance of contracting the infection.

Passengers at the airport in the city had complained in the past that the doctors deputed at the airports were not careful enough in screening passengers for swine flu symptoms. DNA in an earlier report had mentioned that the state government had made no efforts to screen local passengers for swine flue symptoms. Even international passengers were being checked casually.

State health secretary, Ravi Saxena said it was not possible for doctors to check each and every passenger.  "Checking every passenger would create a jam and moreover every passenger does not need to be checked.

The medicos check the health history of a passenger and in case something suspicious is found they ensure that the particular passenger is checked thoroughly," said Saxena. Commenting on whether medical checkups at railway stations and domestic airports were needed Saxena said it was not necessary.

"The check ups are primarily for foreign tourists who are more likely to be carrying the H1N1 virus. The same is true for locals who have been visiting foreign countries," said Saxena. The government has also said that it is difficult to identify cases in the 'window period' (when the virus is not active) and therefore there is no option but to wait for it to develop further until the person starts showing symptoms.

According to secretary of Ahmedabad Medical Association, Dr Narendra Raval, "The government should provide proper safety to doctors at airports, who screen passengers for swine flu, to ensure their safety." "Moreover, the temperature of each and every passenger should be checked," Raval said.