Haryana efforts to combat influenza A HINI

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by Haryananewswire
Chandigarh, Nov 27
The Haryana Health Department is making all efforts to combat influenza A H1N1 and has helplines to facilitate the people. Any information concerning Swine flu can be obtained by dialing 09417931024 (Dr. Aprajita Sondh), 09878229100 (Dr. Bindiya Udit Jain)and 09463325842 (Dr. Rajiv Mehta).
While stating this today, Haryana Health Minister, Mrs Geeta Bhukkal said that a close vigil on patients reporting with symptoms of influenza A H1N1 is being kept and surveillance activities have been intensified in the districts. The district units of the Health Department are ready for quick response in identification, testing, isolation and treatment of cases of influenza A H1N1. Therefore, there
was no need for panic, but the people should follow all preventive measures to check the spread of this disease.
She said that medicine namely Oseltamivir (Tami Flu) and personal protective kits have been made available to all district units. All the Civil Surgeons have been directed to procure logistics for H1N1 by local purchase, if the need arises. People are being made aware to follow measures for prevention of the spread of the disease, she added. She said that Director Principals of PGIMS Rohtak, Medical
College, Mullana and Medical College Agroha have been asked to upgrade their laboratories for testing of influenza A H1N1 virus.
Apart from deploying well trained rapid response teams at State and district
level, isolation wards have also been set up at all district hospitals. The Civil Surgeons have been directed to create extra isolation wards in private hospitals if the need be. All districts units of the Department have already held meetings under the Chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner for preparation of pande mic action plan at the district level.
Mrs Bhukkal said that while the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda has already reviewed the preparedness about dealing with influenza A H1N1, a team of Government of India, had also visited Haryana had discussed the issue with Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and senior officers of Health Department. The team was fully satisfied with the steps taken by the Haryana Government.
She said that district units are reporting daily about influenza A H1N1 situation to the State headquarters which in turn is reporting to the Government of India regularly. All the civil surgeons have been asked to log on daily to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi website www.mohfw.nic.in for fresh guidelines. The Haryana Government had, on August 10,2009 enforced certain regulations under the Epidemic Disease Act 1897 and these would remain in force upto one year.
Preventive Measures:
As a preventive measure, the Health Minister advised the people to cover mouth and nose with handkerchief or cloth while coughing or sneezing. Wash your hands with soap frequently before and after touching your nose, eyes or mouth. Stay away from public places if you have fever or you are coughing and sneezing. Sleep well, stay physically active and efficiently manage stress. Drink plenty of water
and eat nutritious food. Visit a doctor after covering your face with a cloth or mask if you have any flu like symptom.
The Minister further advised the people not to shake hands, hug and kiss socially or use other contact greetings. Medicines should not be taken without consulting a doctor, she added.
Symptoms:
The symptoms of H1N1 flu include fever, cough, sore throat, running nose and difficulty in breathing. If you detect such cases in your family or neighbourhood with history of travel to the affected countries in last 10 days, immediately contact the doctor.
In Haryana, a total of 1924 suspected cases of Influenza A H1N1 have sofar been tested and screened.Out of these cases, 967 have been reported as positive. As many as 49 positive cases have so far been treated and discharged from various hospitals. A total of 697 positive cases have been treated by home quarantine and their treatment has been completed. As many as 209 positive cases were still on home
quarantine. Four such patient are still admitted to hospital.
Chemoprophylaxis has been given to a total of 1872 contacts of positive cases.Out of 967 positive cases, 513 cases belong to Gurgaon district, 112 to Bhiwani district, 94 to Faridabad district, 93 to Sonepat district, 59 to Panchkula, 29 to Ambala, 20 to Panipat, 13 to Hisar, nine to Sirsa, Seven to Yamunanagar , four each to Karnal and
Rohtak districts, three each to Jind and Kaithal and one each to KKR and Jhajjar districts.Out of a total of 967 positive cases of Influenza A H1N1, 510 (52.7 per cent) reported positive from private laboratories.
Eight deaths have so far been reported in Haryana due to H1N1 Influenza.One in district Gurgaon on August 20, two in district Faridabad on August 26 and September 11, one in district Ambala on September 28, one in district Jhajjar on October 20, one in Karnal on October 30, one in district Panipat on November 5 and one in Panchkula on November 9.