11 test positive for swine flu in Gurugram this winter

GURUGRAM: At least 11 patients have been confirmed to be suffering from swine flu in the district, this winter. The number of suspected cases too has risen to 58 in Gurugram. A senior doctor and a staff nurse from Civil hospital are among those who are suspected to have contracted the disease. Now, the health department has launched an awareness drive in this regard.

A 49-year-old man, a resident of Hayatpur, was admitted to a private hospital in Sector 24 on Thursday morning after his medical reports from private laboratories showed that he had been infected with the H1N1 virus. He died in the evening but, according to district health authorities, it is not a confirmed case of death by swine flu because only cases where medical reports have been obtained from a government laboratory are considered so. “Samples of patients’ throat swab are sent to the national centre for disease control for a confirmatory test. Only those who test positive in this examination are considered in the category of confirmed patients. Else they are considered as suspected patients,” said Dr Jai Bhagwan, the district malaria officer.

All the 11 confirmed cases are of Category C patients (serious cases requiring immediate hospitalisation). Swine flu patients are categorised into three types — A, B and C. Category A includes patients with minor flu-like symptoms who don’t require treatment. Category B includes patients who require treatment but don’t need to be hospitalised. The suspected cases include patients suffering from typical influenza symptoms such as fever and cough, fatigue and breathlessness.

The senior doctor and staff nurse of Civil hospital are being given Tamiflu to cure them of swine flu, according to sources. This, especially, has prompted the health department to issue an alert and intensify its drive against the life-threatening disease. Around 62 multi-purpose health field workers and 10 MCG workers have been assigned to conduct information, communication and education drives in districts across the state. Around 10 locations have been identified to install hoardings and pamphlets for creating awareness.

All government and private hospitals in the district have been asked to test and treat any suspected or identified patient of swine flu as per guidelines prescribed by the government. All hospitals have to report details of such patients to the district health department, according to the Epidemic Diseases Act. Pharmacists have also been instructed to keep a copy of any prescription of Tamiflu while selling the medicine.