Four new cases of swine flu were reported by the district health department of Dehradun on Wednesday. The total number of swine flu cases in the district has mounted to 26.
The nodal officer for Swine flu, Dr Puneet Chandra informed that a 25 year old woman, a resident of Resham Majari, Doiwala was admitted at the Himalayan Hospital Jollygrant on July 19 and she is still undergoing treatment at the hospital. Similarly a 35 old woman of Dehradun was also found positive for the disease. This patient however is now discharged from the hospital. Dr Chandra further informed that Shyampur, Premnagar resident one year old girl was admitted in Doon hospital on July 19. Her sample was taken on July 21 and was found positive for this disease. The child is now discharged from the hospital. He informed that another swine flu patient admitted in the Max hospital was discharged on the request of his family members.
The Chief Medical Officer of Dehradun Dr T C Pant said that 26 cases of swine flu have been found positive for the disease this year. Incidentally 12 cases of the disease have been found in the month of July only and five persons have succumbed from the disease in the month. The department has so far collected samples of 96 suspected patients of the disease out of which 26 patients have been found suffering from the disease.
The CMO said that all the hospitals and medical officers have been asked to the keep a vigil on the suspected patients of the swine flu.He said that the department has sufficient stock of Tami flu which is the medicine of swine flu. The authorities have also asked all the hospitals to set up isolation wards for treatment and stay of swine flu patients.
Swine flu is a viral disease, its virus is also called H1 N1 and its genetic analysis has shown that it has originated from the animals specially pigs hence it is called Swine flu. The virus spreads from person to person similar to that of seasonal influenza.
It is a common observation that the virus of H1 N 1, the virus of swine flu, normally strikes the population during the months of December and January when winters are at its peak. This year the sudden arrival of the disease during this time of year has raised concern among the doctors. They are of the view that variation in daily temperature with high level of humidity is responsible for spurt in the number of cases of the disease.