As dozens of new cases get reported every vday, the civic authorities insist that better disease surveillance and not just the spread of the virus is behind the rising numbers.
After a lull in cases in 2016, Mumbai has seen a spurt in swine flu cases this year. As per the latest available data for Mumbai's swine flu cases, 92 new swine flu cases were reported in the past one week and the death toll has now climbed to 16.
As dozens of new cases get reported every vday, the civic authorities insist that better disease surveillance and not just the spread of the virus is behind the rising numbers.
However, the key to swine flu control and management will be regular citizens and not authorities. Fever, cough, headache and body ache are key swine flu symptoms but they are also common to any other flu, making diagnosis tricky.
The throat swab test costs as much as Rs 6,000 and results take over a week. Which is the reason why both doctors and the civic authorities have a simple solution — anyone with high fever for two days should be started on oseltamivir, or commonly known as 'Tami Flu'. Hence, the primary preventive measures that the health department wants residents to do is to see a doctor when high fever persists for 48 hours.
Doctors also point to the change in the swine flu symptoms. In many patients, the primary symptoms are not associated with lungs at all. Loose motions, vomiting, and lethargy — none of which are traditional swine flu symptoms are being seen in patients.
The civic health officials maintain that they are ready, all maternity homes are stocked with vaccines and there is ample supply of oseltamivir but it needs residents to come forward to seek care.
Another cautionary advise to infected patients is to isolate themselves for a few days and not to visit public places which authorities say the residents are not adhering to.
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