With Swine flu claiming 12 deaths in Telangana and one death in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh, both TS and AP governments have declared high alert to contain further spread of H1N1 influenza.
So far 12 lives have succumbing to swine flu (H1N1) influenza in Hyderabad, and more than 213 people are suspected to have contracted this disease across the state. In view of this, the Telangana government has declared a high alert and has directed the health department in the state to take every step possible to keep the situation under control.
Since past one month, every passing day, the Gandhi hospital in Secunderabad is witnessing new cases of swine flu. So far more than 50 cases of this disease have been registered in the state. Of which 12 people have died of the flu, while Gandhi hospital has reported 3 deaths and Osmania hospital has reported 2 deaths during the past 2 weeks.
Taking this as a serious issue, the Telgnana government had convened a cabinet meeting and declared a high alert in the state. At the same time the Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has also spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek central government’s help for controlling the situation.
Responding to this the central government has decided to send a team to the state to assess the situation and give suggestions to the officials and the hospitals.
The state government has also asked the hospitals, educational institutes, officials and general public to be on high alert. Media is also requested to spread the awareness about swine flu so that everyone will take precautionary steps to contain the spread of the disease.
According to doctors and healthcare experts, the swine flu strain identified in Telangna is having a different strand from its original H1N1 strand. Because of this, the vaccinations are proving ineffective. Moreover the cool breeze and dipping temperatures recorded never before have also added fuel to the spread of the disease in the state.
While in Andhra Pradesh the Chief Secretary I.Y.R. Krishna Rao has conducted an emergency review meeting with L.V. Subrahmanyam, Principal Secretary and Director of Medical Education Dr. G. Santha Rao to review the Swine Flu issues in the state and preparedness. So far there are detected 11 Swain Flu cases and 1 death reported in Prakasam district since past one month. The AP government has asked the officials to do strict surveillance of the disease and take action including isolation and giving tamiflu medicine. The Health department has also been directed to take care and keep sufficient medicine of tamiflu stocked at all places in the state.
In Telangana the Central team from New Delhi will visit Gandhi Hospital which has 35 swine flu patients and 15 persons with suspected infection. The number of swine flu patients is expected to increase due to the huge movement of people during the three-day Sankranti festival, and the continuous run of low temperatures.
The team, which will visit Gandhi hospital, comprises additional director-general Dr Ashok Kumar, additional director Dr Shashi Khare and programme officer Dr Pradeep Khasnobis of the National Center for Disease Control.
It will review the availability of medicines, diagnostics, arrangements, clustering of cases, preventive measures and communication campaign. Union minister of state Bandaru Dattatraya is co-coordinating with health minister J.P. Nadda and Telangana CM to ensure that all assistance is provided to the state.