Report: Swine Flu Havoc

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Intro: Prevention is better than cure, an apt advice to save oneself from any viral disease which goes same for the epidemic of Swine Flu.

As many as 216 people have lost their lives to Swine Flu across the country in the first ten days of February as the death toll due to the contagious disease mounted to 407 this year, mostly in states like Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Standard flu prevention techniques to protect you against Swine Flu

  • Get a regular seasonal flu vaccination.
  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and hot running water when you sneeze and coming from outside.
  • Avoid being near others who might be sick.
  • Stay home if you are sick, to avoid affecting others.
  • In case you suffer from other diseases, it is advisable to get yourself vaccinated to Swine Flu.

—Dr Bharat Gopal,
Sr Consultant, Respiratory Medicine, Maharaja Agrasen Hospital, Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi

The latest government data said that 5,157 cases of the disease have been reported since January 1 till February 10 and the Ministry of Health, Government of India is drafting guidelines for vaccination of health workers who are in contact with H1N1 patients. The Ministry had earlier said that Swine Flu has claimed 191 lives in the country against the total number of 2,038 cases reported in January this year. It was noted that during January 1 to February 10 the total number of H1N1 cases is 5,157 and number of deaths are 407.

Tribute to an Eye Donor

Shri Bhagwan Shankar (70) passed away on February 6 of TB at Deendayal Hospital of Delhi. He was a modest person and had earned his living by selling balloons, ice cream and peanuts, etc at different times of his life. About a year back, he learnt of a body donation of an acquaintance. This inspired him to resolve to donate his own body and eyes after his death.
He died on February 6. But, his body could not be donated. Shri Hukum Chand, his only surviving son, contacted Shri Sudhir Gupta of Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti and Bhagwan Shankar’s eyes were donated to RP Institute, AIIMS.

Largely, the cases are from Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana while the deaths largely are in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Telangana, the health ministry said in a statement issued on February 11.
The Health Ministry has placed an order for enhancing stock of diagnostic kits to be supplied to the lab network under Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) being used for testing H1N1 influenza. To enhance the level of preparedness, additional 60,000 Oseltamivir medicines and 10,000 N-95 masks are being procured. In addition, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has floated a tender for additional 10,000 diagnostic kits by the Health Ministry. The ministry said that after getting expert advice, it was decided that various health institutions treating swine flu cases be “advised” to get the health workers, who are in contact with such patients, vaccinated.                            —Organiser Desk

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