Fluid State

Swine flu, the deadly disease that claimed 280 lives in 2017, is not letting the state health department breathe easy as the toll is rising thick and fast. The disease is taking mammoth proportions as even this year so far, 101 people have succumbed to it in the state. During January and February, more than 11,000 people were tested for suspected symptoms of swine flu, out of which more than 1,100 were found positive.

As per the daily monitoring report of swine flu, till date total 11,437 people were tested for swine flu out of which 1,144 have been found positive for H1N1 virus. The state capital is worst effected with more than 700 people found swine flu positive and 30 people died of the disease during these two months.

The health department is screening people for flu symptoms around every swine flu case within 24 hours of a case being reported. “For early detection of the disease, screening facility is available at 3,033 health centres including district hospitals, Community Health Centres (CHC) , Primary Health Centres (PHC). Total 2164 Vaccine Transport Media (TVMs) are available at these centres. For suspects and positive patients there are 1,580 isolation beds, 214 ICU beds and 198 ventilators are available,” Dr VK Mathur, Director, Public health said.

Health department data reveals that during January and February, swine flu has claimed 53 and 42 lives respectively while during last year both the months recorded just one death each.

Death toll ticking fast:

Till date, since January 1 this year, of 11,437 samples tested for swine flu, 1,134 people were found positive, and of which 101 have succumbed to the disease. Jaipur has reported maximum deaths, almost one third of total registered deaths, as of now.

Facilities in place:

At the government level, testing facility is being provided free of charge on doctors advice at 12 centres including 7 medical colleges of Jaipur, Ajmer, Kota, Bikaner, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jhalawar; DMRC Jodhpur and four private labs. Test reports are being provided within seven hours after sample collection. Those who tested positive, are being informed through phone calls immediately.

Testing procedure:

Test of swine flu is based on nasopharyngeal swab sample. Doctor makes a diagnosis by sampling fluid from human body. To take a sample, doctor or a nurse may swab suspect’s nose or throat. The swab will be analyzed using various genetic and laboratory techniques to identify the specific type of virus.

Price of test:

The test using the kit has been priced at Rs 800 per test and cuts down the cost of swine flu testing in the country significantly. At present, the testing for swine flu is free at government hospitals. Private labs charge between Rs 4,000 and Rs 6,000 for the test. Though, test at private lab is also free for the people referred by any government doctor.

Singhvi slams hospital:

Former minister and MLA from Chhabra, Pratap Singh Singhvi, demanded strict action against the doctors responsible for the governor’s swine flu test report episode. Singhvi in a statement said that such kind of slackness on the part of SMS Hospital management has damaged the government’s image and at a time when the health report of the governor is not credible, one can easily imagine how poor the state of public healthcare system is in the state. Government should take proper measures to save the people from deadly diseases like swine flu and should run a public awareness drive in order to protect and prevent such malaise.

Bundi man succumbs

A 52-year-old man from Bundi, undergoing medical treatment at a private hospital in Kota city, on Monday succumbed to H1N1 virus infection. This is the first swine flu death in Bundi district this year. Following the death, a team was sent to the affected area and Tami flu tablets were distributed in to the family and neighbours of the deceased.