Two swine flu cases get health officials into action

Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 22

A day after two women were found positive for swine flu, the Health Department today swung into action and established a centralised control room to monitor such cases.

The department today coordinated with all private hospitals an dasked them to appoint a nodal officer to deal with swine flu and dengue cases. Swine flu wards have been set up in a majority of the hospitals.

Officials also spread awareness about measures that need to be taken to deal with suspected flu patients. Apart from a control room, a reporting room has also been established at the GMCH, Sector 16.

Sources said nodal officers of all private and government hospitals will report to the centralised control room and update the staff there about the suspected cases of H1N1 virus.

They said the department swung into action after it came to light that the two women suffering form swine flu did not have a travel history. “Certainly, it is a cause of concern. Earlier, the persons who were diagnosed with swine flu, had a travel history. But these two women did not visit any other state,” said a doctor. One of the patients is from Mohali while the other is from Sector 35, Chandigarh. Health officials also carried out prophylactic treatment of the relatives of patients. The city witnessed the first swine flu death two days ago.

What is prophylactic treatment

• A preventive measure taken to fend off a disease or another unwanted consequence 
• A treatment designed and used to prevent a disease from occurring 
• In case of swine flu, prophylactic treatment is followed to prevent its spread to the other members of the family

Heath advisory

• Keep off gatherings if you have fever or sore throat
• In case of fever or sore throat and difficulty in breathing, consult your doctor
• Cover nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing
• On visiting any affected person, maintain distance

Kids to be vaccinated

• As many as 3.10 lakh children (from nine months to 15-year-old) will undergo measles rubella (MR) vaccination 
• The Health Department stated that in 382 schools, children would be vaccinated and that 59 planning units had been established for the purpose