Swine flu is continuing to scare the residents of Doon valley as the district health authorities have reported two more deaths due to the disease on Monday. With these deaths, the number of those dead due to the disease in the provisional State Capital has mounted up to five. The chief medical officer (CMO) of Dehradun, Dr S K Gupta said while talking to The Pioneer on Monday that two patients-one a resident of Rudraprayag and the other, a resident of Saharanpur-who were undergoing treatment for the disease, died on Sunday at Mahant Indiresh Hospital. He said that the deaths have been reported by the hospital administration on Monday.
The CMO further said that three patients of the disease are now undergoing treatment in different hospitals spread across the district. He said that the department is now issuing fresh advisory on Swine flu in view of the latest death. Dr Gupta said that all medical professionals have been asked to keep track of the suspected cases of the disease and inform them to the district health department. The CMO, however, added that there is no need to panic regarding the disease and said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has categorically stated that Swine flu is no longer an epidemic but just like any seasonal influenza.
He said that if a person complains of breathlessness along with cough and cold he/ she should immediately consult a doctor without wasting any time.
Swine Flu
Swine flu is a viral disease. Its virus is called H1 N1. Its genetic analysis has shown that it originates from the animals, especially pigs and hence it is called Swine flu. The Swine flu patients are divided into three categories. In 'A' category, patient suffers from mild fever and irritation in throat. The patients of this category should be isolated at home and require no test or medication. The patients of 'B' category are characterised by high fever and the patient needs isolation and should be administered Oseltamivir (Tami flu) medicine.
The medical experts are of the view that if a patient is suffering from breathlessness, low Blood Pressure along with symptoms of A and B category he is put under category 'C'. Such patients should be isolated, hospitalised, administered Tami flu and needed to be tested for Swine flu.
Special 12-bed ward set up at Mahant Indiresh hosp
The Mahant Indiresh hospital where four out of five Swine flu–related deaths have so far occurred has set up a special 12-bed ward for the patients of the disease. The hospital has also appointed Dr Yogesh Dhand of department of medicine as the nodal officer of Swine flu. The hospital also has a modern central molecular research laboratory which is the only authorised centre certified by National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in the State.