With the number of swine flu cases soaring to 617 in the city, Delhi’s health department has directed all hospitals to procure logistics required to ensure continuous supply of medicine, vaccine and kits.
According to the Government, no deaths have been reported in the city so far while two city-based Government-run hospitals have reported 12 deaths due to the H1N1 virus till Tuesday.
As of January 29, at least 617 people have been diagnosed with swine flu in Delhi, the third highest number after Rajasthan and Gujarat. No death has been reported due to the infection in the national Capital so far, according to the Health Ministry data. However, two Centre-run hospitals — Safdarjung and Ram Manohar Lohia — have reported 12 deaths due to the H1N1 virus.
After holding a State-level review meeting on influenza A (H1N1), the Delhi Government said all Government hospitals in the city are equipped with necessary logistics required for the management of the disease and drug oseltamivir along with personal protective equipments (PPE kits) and N95 masks are also available.
According to a senior Health Ministry official, Rajasthan has recorded 1,976 cases of swine flu and 76 deaths till Tuesday. Gujarat has reported 659 cases and 27 deaths.
In Delhi, 532 people have been diagnosed with the H1N1 virus. No death has been reported in Delhi so far, he said. Punjab has reported 27 deaths and 188 swine flu cases, Haryana eight deaths and 388 cases, Maharashtra 12 deaths and 96 cases, Uttar Pradesh 4 deaths and 215 cases while Kerala has reported 3 deaths and 100 cases so far.
Telangana has witnessed one death and 271 cases, while Karnataka has recorded 189 cases of H1N1. Jammu and Kashmir has reported 10 deaths and 121 cases.
According to a senior official at the Safdarjung hospital, three persons have died due to swine flu, but none of them are Delhi residents.
The RML has witnessed nine deaths, of which 8 people belonged to Delhi and one hailed from Haryana.
Asked why the Health Ministry’s data doesn’t include the fatalities reported by these two hospitals in the city, a senior Health Ministry official said, “Our data is based on the figures given by State Governments. Though RML and Safdarjung are Centre-run hospitals, they submit their data to the Delhi Government.”
Recent guidelines from the Union Health Ministry on case diagnosis, management, vaccination, isolation criteria, risk categorisation and preventive measures have been circulated among all hospitals and health facilities.
The Director General of Health Services (DGHS) was asked to issue advisories to the media.
“Collection and compilation of confirmed swine flu cases from various reporting units and labs with complete line listing on daily basis is being done at the state level.
“Compiled report is shared with districts for timely surveillance activities and preventive measures,” an official said.
Patients with co-morbid condition like low immunity, on immune-suppressant, blood cancer, renal transplant, diabetes, heart disease are at high risk of getting infected with swine flu.
For any query on swine flu, people can seek assistance on the 24X7 helpline number at DGHS HQ.