Nellore: Swine flu cases have officials on their toes

Nellore: Three swine flu cases have been detected in SPSR Nellore district during last 20 days and fortunately all of them are out of danger. Two swine flu cases have been detected at Poondi village falling under Ramapuram Primary Health Centre limits in Tada mandal located close to Tamil Nadu border on Janu-ary 25 and they are being treated in a private  hospital at Chennai. The patients are sisters and aged about two -and-half years and one year.Medical and health wing officials maintain that they have contracted the virus when they went to their grandmother's house in Vellore of Tamil Nadu.

A 27-year-old woman belonging to Nellore was diagnosed suffering from swine flu on January 18 and she is doing well after treatment in a corporate hospital at Nellore. A youth belonging to Chembedu in Nayudu-peta mandal doing PG in medicine at Vellore in Tamil Nadu also contracted the disease and he too recovered after treatment in Christian Medical College at Vellore.
District medical and health officer Dr C. Varasundaram confirmed this while claiming that all of them including the two kids are out of danger.

The Nellore woman is already discharged. He said there are no other swine flu infected case in Poondi while pointing to screening carried out by their team in the village on Thursday. According to DMHO, awareness campaign has been launched in a big way using lakh odd pamphlets besides display of posters and flex boards in busy areas to educate the public on the virus.

He said Primary Health Centres have been instructed to treat B. category cases (mild symptoms) at home and collect swabs wherever they suspect Swine Flu and rush them to Svims in Tirupati for PCR (Polymerase chain reaction) test. Isolated wards are being established in all the area hospitals of the district with equipment such as oxygen cylinders, ventilators and nebulisers besides Tamiflu tablets. Meanwhile District Headquarters Hospital in Nellore is yet to gear up to procure diagnostic kits to detect the life threatening virus.

Hospital authorities claimed the room allotted last year to set up an isolated ward is vacant and it is equipped with a ventilator but they are yet to receive the diagnostic kits and the syrup (Oselatamivir) required for treatment. However, there is no worry over medical aid if medicines and kits are available because the Pulmonology department of the hospital, headed Dr N. Gopi Chand and Assistant Professor Dr Aparna, has enough manpower to deal with any eventuality. Hospital Superintendent Dr Radhakrishna Raju said no cases were reported so far but they are taking steps to obtain diagnostic kits and Tamiflu tablets.

Referring to symptoms of swine flu such as cold and cough besides throat pain and high fever apart from respiratory problems, Dr Gopichand said such patients should immediately consult doctors. He expressed confidence in dealing with the cases taking the support of other departments in the hospital.