The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) in Hyderabad was shut down for the weekend over fears of swine flu spreading on the campus. The decision comes 48 hours after eight IPS trainees and a three-year-old child of a staffer tested positive for the H1N1 virus. All training sessions have been cancelled for the next two days, while 500 personnel, including 170 IPS trainees and other staff members, were immediately quarantined.
Meanwhile, authorities said the decision to resume classes on Monday will be taken only after a go-ahead from medical experts. The IPS trainees developed the symptoms of the H1N1 virus after they attended poll-related field duties.
After three such trainees were found affected by the virus, the State Health Department launched a massive screening of all the 800 staff members of SVPNPA. “Five trainees have been admitted to a corporate hospital and others have been asked to remain confined to their rooms”, said Dr G Srinivas, Telangana State coordinator for swine flu.
The quarantined staffers have also been asked not to interact with or meet outsiders for at least five days. Telangana has witnessed an unusually high number of swine flu cases this year, recording 51 deaths over the last two months. More than 1,000 others were found affected.
As part of the large-scale preventing measures, the State health department has rushed a stock of 2,000 doses of Oseltamavir drug. Meanwhile, SVPNPA sources said that the academy was receiving calls from the worried parents of trainees from all over the country.
“We have assured them that there was no reason for anxiety as every thing was under control and affected trainees were being taken care of. We have already discharged three of the affected trainees”, a senior official said.