State-wide screening to check Swine flu

As many as 26 people, who were admitted with respiratory symptoms at the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital and the Institute of Child Health, Egmore, are being treated and their condition is stable, said health authorities. Meanwhile, a state-wide screening programme has been initiated to spot more cases. 

Dr K Kolandasamy, Director, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said, “Since it is a seasonal disease, there are many cases of respiratory problems that are being reported across the state. Apart from focusing on the poor settlements across Tiruvallur, we have asked authorities in other districts to conduct screening programmes. At Tiruvallur, there are 24- hour health camps being conducted.” 

He added that some of the symptoms to watch out for included high fever, running nose, cough and shortness of breath. Dr S Srinivasan, state-coordinator, NHM, newborn registrar, Institute of Child Health, said that the two-year-old treated for H1N1 was doing well, adding that the disease could be dangerous for children and the elderly. “Catching flu early is critical. 

Those who are immunosuppressed, diabetic and asthmatic, apart from pregnant women, are at high risk,” he added. He said that there was a high index of suspicion if the symptoms are faster. “In such cases, we need to doubt if it is an atypical organism of virus,” he said. In 2009, the disease had caused a country-wide panic with several cases diagnosed in cities like Chennai, Mumbai and Pune. 

According to the data available with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the number of cumulative deaths in Tamil Nadu due to Influenza A H1N1(Swine flu) since 2009 was 69 till 2013. Last year, around the same time, the disease had re-emerged with around 320 cases being diagnosed. Given the re-emergence during the colder months, health experts added that a vaccine could come in handy. However, Kolandsamy said that they have a limited cover, as it was seasonal. He said, “The antigen variation is the problem here; they keep changing every six months. 

Under such conditions, vaccine has very limited effect.” Dr R Sundararaman, Internal Medicine specialist, SIMS Hospital, said that it was advisable for doctors to be vaccinated. “Ever since the outbreak in 2009, I have ensured I and my junior doctors are vaccinated. We can distinguish much between ordinary flu and swine flu. It is only that pneumonia-like symptoms that are missing in the former.”