With swine flu spreading its tentacles, Punjab and Haryana have reported 49 deaths due to this virus so far this year, senior officials said in Chandigarh on Friday. While 29 people have died in Punjab, Haryana has reported 20 casualties. Punjab's nodal officer Deepak Bhatia said 95 swine flu cases are being treated and 227 suspected cases are under observation in different hospitals across the State. Bhatia said that a pregnant woman, infected with H1N1 virus, delivered a healthy child at a medical college in Amritsar. "Both mother and child are in good condition," he said.
Poonam (20) from Gurdaspur was hospitalised after being detected with swine flu. Haryana's Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Ram Niwas said that 20 people have died of swine flu and 121 cases have so far been reported in the State. "Four patients are on ventilators, chemoprophylaxis has been given to 459 others," he said. Haryana's Health Department has made adequate arrangements for the treatment of patients suffering from swine flu, he said. "Adequate stock of Tamiflu and PPE kits have been made available, ventilator facility have been provided and isolation wards have been set up in all hospitals of the State," he said.
Meanwhile, civil surgeons of both the State have been directed to strengthen the IEC activities regarding swine flu to make people aware of do's and don't for prevention. They have been directed to make people aware of signs and symptoms of the disease and when to report to doctor for treatment. Meanwhile, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Friday said that the State Government is carefully making severe attempts to prevent swine flu cases in the State. Cases of death due to swine flu are less in Haryana as compared to other States.
He said Haryana Health Department has made adequate arrangements for the treatment of patients suffering from swine flu. Adequate stock of Tamiflu and PPE kits have been made available, ventilator facility have been provided and isolation wards have been set up in all hospitals of the State. All private hospitals in the State have been directed to immediately report to district medical officer concerned if there is any case of swine flu so that necessary action could be taken for treatment of patients, he added. The Health Minister said that the State has proper arrangements for sample testing of swine flu and the Government is quite concerned in this direction. He himself is monitoring swine flu cases.