PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Jan 27: The Union health department on Thursday issued an alert of swine flu in East Singhbhum concerned over the growing suspected cases.
So far this month, eleven suspected cases of swine flu were found in East Singhbhum. But, all the cases were found negative.
The throat swab sample of suspected cases was sent to National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED), Kolkata.
Confirming the development district surveillance officer Sahir Pal said they have already started taking preventive measures drawing lesson from 2015 when swine flu had reached endemic proportion in the state during March-April.
In that year a 75-year-old woman, a resident of Kadma, had died due to swine flu.
The doctors and medical staff, including the nurses in the MGM Medical College and Hospital have started taking extra precautionary steps.
He said that they have sent orders to all blocks to immediately inform about any suspected swine flu cases so that throat swab samples can be collected and sent to Kolkata at the earliest for early confirmation.
The health department has also asked all the officials to ensure that Tamiflu (medicine prescribed to control severity of swine flu) is in adequate amounts at all district hospitals.
Health officials confirmed there has been no swine flu positive case in the district.
“But we are pulling up our socks in order to meet any exigency, if at all, it arises. Our staff is trained in the collection of throat swabs. It is mandatory for doctors and paramedics to use PPEs while treating patients with H1N1 viral strain,” said the health official.
Sources at the district civil surgeon’s office revealed that Railway Hospital in Khasmahal, Tata Main Hospital, Tata Motors Hospital, Mercy Hospital and MGM Medical College and Hospital had been asked to keep isolation wards ready as a precautionary step.
