Since the beginning of 2015, at least 14 people died due to fatal swine flu virus in Gujarat. The State Health Department alerted hospitals across the State to prevent more casualties. “Up to Friday evening, 112 cases of swine flu have been reported in the different hospitals of Gujarat,” said Gujarat’s Commissioner of Health, JP Gupta while speaking to The Pioneer. Gupta confirmed that two more deaths due to the virus were reported on Friday and the total number of casualties due to the disease in Gujarat is at least 14.
He said that of the total cases, 40 people have been discharged from hospitals after primary treatment. "Of the total cases reported in the State, 50 per cent have been registered in Kutch district alone," he informed. To counter the spread of disease, the State Health Department has recently held a sensitisation sessions of medical practitioners, paramedical staff, school teachers and health workers across the State, especially in Kutch so that they could identify the symptoms of swine flu promptly.
"We are spreading awareness among people on the disease. Through campaign, people are being told to report to the nearest hospital in case of symptoms of fever and make sure to wash their hands properly before having meals," said Gupta, adding that as swine flu virus is air borne and is difficult to prevent but, the State Health Department is concentrating on early diagnosis of the disease to prevent casualties.
Moreover, adequate stock of medicines and vaccines have been supplied to the Government hospitals, he said adding that four specialised laboratories have been started in the State as part of preventive measures. Swine flu which spread through influenza, a H1N1 virus is a type of flu virus and leads to high fever. The virus is new and most of the people don't have immunity to it. That is the reason why it so easily becoming a pandemic virus and spreads from person to person, said an expert who is closely working with the State administration to prevent casualties in the State.