PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Swine flu (Influenza H1N1) and Covid appear to be posing a double challenge in Uttarakhand with 59 confirmed swine flu cases reported in Dehradun district and 18 Covid cases as on August 27.
Dehradun chief medical officer Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma said that 148 samples were tested for swine flu in the district till August 27, of which 59 tested positive, 41 from Dehradun and 18 from other States and districts. Five patients have died, he informed.
The CMO said that on Thursday, seven new swine flu cases were reported in Dehradun district, including six from Dehradun and one from other States and districts. At present, 14 cases are active 13 admitted at Shri Mahant Indiresh Hospital and one at home.
Sharma said that apart from this, one new Covid case was reported on Thursday at Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) which is of Dehradun, taking the total Covid count to 18, including eight from Dehradun and 10 from other States/districts. Three Covid cases are currently active one at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh and two at Shri Mahant Indiresh Hospital, he said.
The CMO further said that swine flu testing is being done at government and private hospitals, not in labs, and that hospitals have been instructed to test every patient with common flu symptoms. Testing kits have been provided. Urging residents, especially those already ill and children, to take precautions, Sharma said there was no need to panic. He further claimed that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has confirmed that the current strain of swine flu is mild and poses minimal risk to healthy individuals, but those with comorbidities and children are more vulnerable.
Anyone with fever lasting three to four days along with chest pain and difficulty in breathing should get tested immediately, he said.
“Wear masks in crowded places, use a handkerchief while sneezing or coughing, and wash hands with soap before meals and after returning home. This will help in the prevention of swine flu,” the CMO added.
