Swine flu toll reaches 4 in dist

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 9

The death toll of swine flu patients has reached four as two more deaths have been reported till today.

A 35-year-old woman from Mehraj village in the district was cremated under the supervision of health teams from the district as well as from Ludhiana, where she was undergoing treatment for the last few days. The second death has been of a man from Talwandi Sabo.

The district health authorities have claimed that attendants of patients have been given tamiflu medicine as a precaution from the disease.

Besides, they also claimed to having sent their teams to create awareness among the masses about swine flu, its precautions and symptoms.

The deceased woman from Mehraj villaghe used to live with her husband and a 14-year-old son. She was detected with swine flu on Thursday. She was cremated at Chakk Bakhtu, her in-laws village in the district.

On Thursday morning, the patient took her last breath at Fortis Hospital in Ludhiana. The family of the patient claimed that after minor cough problem, they took her to Cygnus Hospital from where she was referred to Max Hospital but again she was referred to Ludhiana where the patient breathed her last.

Bathinda Civil Surgeon Dr Tejwant Singh Randhawa said, “Till now, there have been four deaths reported in Bathinda district. Around one dozen samples have been taken this year out of which six have been tested positive. We are creating awareness among the masses about swine flu, its precautions and symptoms.”

He said people should avoid going outside in crowded areas, shaking hands with people suffering from cough and must wash their hands frequently. Besides, one should get nutritious and healthy diet every day.

“Training to ANMs (auxiliary nursing midwives) and paramedical staff about dealing with patients is being given. ANMs are also instructed to disseminate necessary information about the precautions to be taken by the public to prevent the H1N1 virus. Many rapid response teams are also constituted at the block level to act immediately in case any person is diagnosed with swine flu, besides creating awareness among the masses. These teams reach the houses of affected patients and provide them tamiflu medicine according to their requirement, besides conducting formal survey of the family members of patients,” Dr Tejwant Singh Randhawa added.