The Ghaziabad District Magistrate is down with swine flu. Vimal Kumar Sharma has been admitted to Pushpanjali Crosslay Hospital in Vaishali after testing positive for the H1N1 virus. His condition is stated to be stable and he is showing signs of improvement.
The DM’s admission to a private hospital is a telling commentary on the preparedness of Government-run hospitals in tackling this deadly virus.
Kapil Singh, Additional District Magistrate, suspects Sharma might have contracted the disease after meeting the husband of Shubra Saxena, the DM of Shahjahanpur. Saxena is currently undergoing treatment for swine flu in a Delhi hospital.
Another possibility, according to Kapil Singh, is that he might have contracted the virus between February 11 and 14, when “he had attended an IAS officers’ meeting in lucknow as he had been unwell since his return on Feb 14.”
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Ajay Agrawal said that out of 350 samples that were sent to Delhi laboratories for tests, 42 tested positive
for swine flu.
“As a matter of precaution, the authorities have ordered to vaccinate the hospital staff as well,” said Dr Sandeep Panwar, Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) of Government-owned Combined District Hospital in Sanjay Nagar.
“Although an isolation ward has been made ready in Combined District Hospital, it does not have ventilator facilities. The hospital lacks the wherewithal to treat patients suffering from haemorrhagic symptoms of swine flu. The Government has ordered vaccines for the hospital,” Dr Panwar added.
In the meantime, Columbia Asia has issued guidelines for people to help prevent spread of this deadly virus. “The virus spreads when an infected person sneezes in the open and scatters the virus into the air. It also spreads when we touch or shake hands with infected people or touch objects like door knobs, tables, and chairs in public places, which may have been infected,” said Dr Deepak Verma of Columbia Asia.
One should avoid shaking hands and also wear a mask in crowded places or when availing public transport. “Drink lots of water and fluids and consume vitamin C to boost immunity. This is the best way to stave off the virus,” Dr Verma added.