Death of two patients within a week in this month due to Swine Flu in Dehradun has jolted the district health department out of its deep slumber. The department so far has sent samples of six suspected patients of the disease to National Centre of Disease Control (NCDC), New Delhi in this month out of which three samples were found positive.
The first death of due to Swine flu in this month occurred on July 06 when a 47 year old person, a resident of Gumaniwala died at Himalayan Hospital Jollygrant. Shockingly the sample of this patient was sent to NCDC on the day of his death and the report arrived on July 10. On July 12, a 47 year old female patient a resident of Gandhi Gram died at Max hospital.
These deaths have jolted district health authorities as they were not expecting swine flu outbreak during this season. The health department was bracing itself for the dengue and malaria which are usually reported during this period. Taking cognizance of the deaths due to the swine flu, the Director General (DG) health services Dr D S Rawat has directed the department officials to be on an alert mode for the disease. The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Dehradun, Dr T C Pant told The Pioneer that all hospitals have been asked to setup an isolation ward for the suspected patients of swine flu. He said that all medical practitioners and the hospitals should immediately inform the district health department if any suspected patient of swine flu is noticed. The CMO accepted that there are complaints that some of the big private hospitals are not informing about swine flu patients to health department in time. He informed that 16 cases of the disease have so far been reported in the district in this year. The reports of three samples are yet to be received by the health department.
The swine flu usually hits the population in the winter season but the occurrence of the disease in summer season is suggestive of some changes in the genetic structure of the virus.
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.
The swine flu patients are divided into three categories. In 'A' category patient suffers from mild fever and irritation in throat; such patients need to be isolated at home and there is no need of swine flu test and medication. The patients of 'B' category are characterized by high fever and the patient need isolation and should be administered Oseltamivir (Tami flu) medicine. If a patient is suffering from breathlessness, low Blood Pressure along with symptoms of A and B category than he is put under category 'C'. Such patients should be isolated, hospitalized, should be administered Tami flu and are needed to be tested for swine flu.