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Now, 864 test positive, 17 die from H1N1
The number of Swine flu cases are increasing and so are the concerns. 864 tested positive overall till date. In fact, 95 confirmed cases of H1N1 were reported from labs all across the country today. There have been 7 deaths so far from the H1N1 virus. More than a dozen schools across the country have shut down following cases of swine flu within the student community.
The Health minister earlier today had an emergency meeting after the Prime Minister raised concerns and is believed to be personally monitoring the situation. Among the seven deaths – two have been reported from the epicenter Pune – a doctor and a pharmacist. The fatalties also include a four-year- old child from Chennai.
The number of cases have risen in Delhi. The worries over H1N1 are rising forcing the Health Minister to come out and give an hour long clarification. The spurt in the number of H1N1 cases has now got the Prime Minster monitoring the situation closely.
But, assurances don’t seem to be enough. 5 schools have shut down for a week in the capital.
With no answers of how to tackle the flu, schools across the nation have started shutting down as a precautionary measure. Clearly, parents will now need more than just assurances to send their children back to school.
Precaution for kids
Doctors say children are more prone as they come in contact with others easily. It is important to note some of the precautionary measures that children must take.
For one, wash your hands regularly with soap. Also, avoid touching face and mouth and being at crowded places. Children and adults alike must only drink boiled water. What’s most important is that if children show H1N1-flu like symptoms, he/she must be rushed to a paediatrician and to avoid any form of self-medication.
After the first death reported on Saturday evening and the proximity of Mumbai to the epicenter Pune – the concerns over the virus are rising in the commercial capital. Long, serpentine queues were seen outside the testing center in Mumbai even as the the state government seems completely stung by the proportions.
The Maharashtra government set up a core team to fight the outbreak reiterating that there is no cause for concern.
No self-medication
Experts emphasise that one must not indulge in any kind of self-medication if detected with H1N1 flu- like symptoms. Unmonitored use of Tamiflu could make one develop a resistance to the drug. It could also lead to patients missing early signs of the flu. Excessive use of Tamiflu could also lower one’s immunity system. And finally, taking illegal or unapproved medicines could result in serious side-effects.
Dos and Dont’s
As India reels under the number one health emergency scare, the deadly H1N1 influenza, the most important things one need to note is what are the dos and don’ts.
- For one, one must cover their nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing. One should also wash their hands using soap and water. One must ensure that ventilation in a room is paramount.
- One must report to a H1N1 screening centre if they think they suffer from H1N1-like symptoms.
- Travel should be avoided and one has to use a mask if tested positive.
- Do not go to school or workplace if unwell and most importantly avoid any kind of self-medication.
Pertinent questions related to spread of H1N1 influenza
- Is shutting schools a solution? Experts say school children are at high-risk for complications of influenza.
- Are there chances of one being infected without physical contact? Experts say infection can spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs.
- Is it not necessary to touch a person. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air.
- Is the spread of H1N1 inevitable? Experts say till an H1N1 vaccine is developed, the spread can’t be curbed.
Testing centres in India
Here are some centres in the cities where the samples are being sent for for swine flu test. National Institute of Communicable Diseases in New Delhi, National Institute of Cholera & Other Enteric Diseases in Kolkata, the Department of Microbiology at AIIMS, National Institute of Virology, Pune, Enterovirus Research Centre, Mumbai, Vector Control and Research Centre, Pondicherry, Centre for Research in Medical Entomology, Madurai and the Defence Research Development Establishment, Gwalior.
Source : Times Now
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