HYDERABAD: In the last couple of days, at least nine swine flu patients have been undergoing treatment at the Gandhi Hospital, of whom four are students from the NALSAR University of Law, Shameerpet. These students, between the age of 18 and 20 years, were referred from the Sir Ronald Ross Institute of Tropical and Communicable Diseases (Fever Hospital), Nallakunta, to the Gandhi Hospital over Friday and Saturday.

Meanwhile, Superintendent of the Gandhi Hospital Dr P Shravan Kumar said, “The students were asymptomatic. Their condition is stable”. Apart from these nine patients, four more patients suspected to have contacted swine flu have been admitted here.

Officials from the State Health Department said that since the students were young and did not have ailments that affect the heart or liver, they were not considered high-risk patients. “Children below the age of five years, pregnant women, aged and those with morbid conditions belong to the high-risk category,” said a health official, who wished to remain unnamed.

According to the guidelines on swine flu issued by the health department officials, based on symptoms and accompanying conditions, the swine flu cases are divided into three categories: A, B and C. If a person suffers from high grade fever, head ache, sore throat, vomiting, along with breathlessness, chest pain, sputum mixed with blood, they are categorised under Category C and must be admitted in isolation wards.