Even though swine flu cases are increasing in several parts of the country, local health authorities here say there is no need for panic. “We have sufficient tablets of ‘Tamiflu’ and enough arrangement of isolation wards here besides other arrangements”, said Dr Anil Garg, nodal officer, National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, UT.
He added that three deaths have been reported, one each at Kaimbwala, Bhaskar colony Sector-25 and Sector-47 till date and 11 positive cases of swine flu. He said on an average 50 to 60 suspected patients are being checked everyday in OPDs at PGI, GMCH-32 and GMSH-16. “Most of the patients are coming from neighboring states Punjab and Haryana for their test, rather than from Chandigarh”, said Dr. Garg.
Garg added apart from the ‘swine flu’ they are getting the cases of seasonal flu which also has almost same symptoms like fever, cough, weakness and difficulty in breathing etc. Meanwhile Dr Deepak Bhatia from the Punjab Health Department’s surveillance office said that 24 deaths took place in the State against 67 positive cases till February 17.
He said 5 to 7 positive cases are being reported daily on an average. “We got 4 samples of 16 cases positive on Sunday followed by two of eight positive cases on Monday and two of four on Tuesday on an in Chandigarh PGI. In Haryana, as many as 15 people have succumbed to contagious swine flu this year. “Fifteen people have died against 110 confirmed cases of swine flu in the state so far,” Haryana’s Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Ram Niwas said.
People have been advised not to sneeze or spit without the use of tissue paper/handkerchief and adopt practices of frequent hand washing with soap and water.