Health authorities have tracked down all the 84 travellers and have conducted tests for H1N1.
After airports and seaports, health officials have put all road entry points to the country under surveillance. International borders along states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal are being monitored after the arrival of 84 international tourists over the past week.
Health authorities have tracked down all the 84 travellers and have conducted tests for H1N1. India is not planning to seal its international road borders as of now since the epidemic has not reached an alarming proportions in Asia. “The number of people entering India by road is few. Sealing borders can cause other problems. Even the World Health Organisation (WHO) hasn’t advised sealing of borders,” Vineet Chawdhury, joint secretary, ministry of health and family welfare, said.
Screening of passengers from affected countries is continuing in 21 international airports. More than 45,000 passengers have been screened. Of them, around 8,353 passengers were from the affected countries.
So far, 12 samples have tested negative. Five are being examined.
Officials said a rigorous system of testing samples was in place. “All samples are simultaneously tested at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), Delhi, and the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. The H1N1 virus can only be tested in labs that have bio-safety level III certification. The government has four such labs. Besides the NICD and the NIV, there is one in Kolkata and one in Dibrugarh,” Chawdhary said.
The cabinet secretary held a video conference with chief secretaries of 17 states and reviewed their preparedness. “All states are prepared to combat the disease,” Chawdhury said.
In another meeting, the director-general of health services discussed technical aspects, including surveillance, with the director of health services of states and union territories. The ministry also met the Indian Medical Association to sensitise doctors about H1N1. “Private hospitals have been asked not to turn away suspected cases but to isolate the patients and inform government officials,” Chawdhary said.
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