Bengaluru: There has been a spike in cases of swine flu cases this year, but health department officials assure the situation was under control.
As per health department data 17 people have so far succumbed to the disease this year, which is higher than none in 2016 and 15 in 2017. In the last two days there were five deaths in the state and 30 tested positive. Overall, 999 have tested positive this year.
The number of positive cases has seen a sharp increase since September with an average number of about 45 to 50 cases each day. Health department claims that the situation is under control and the numbers will come down.
Dr S. Sajjan Shetty, Joint Director, communicable disease, Department of Health and Family Welfare said, “The audit committee meeting was held recently in which we have got the updated numbers from all the districts. We have alerted all the primary health care centres and informed them to have enough medicines and vaccines.”
He said private wards have been created in all the district hospitals across the state. “We have increased the awareness campaign at metro stations, BMTC and KSRTC bus stations through announcements and display boards.”
Dr Sylvia Karpagam, a public health expert, said, “Messages should be issued through media that patients who have mild symptoms should stay at home. Only if they develop signs of pneumonia such as difficulty in breathing or fast breathing, they should go to hospital. All patients who develop respiratory symptoms should wear a mask.”
As for ways to curb the spread of the virus, Dr Sylvia added, “Circulars should be sent to all government and private hospitals on the ways to identify H1N1. Pregnant or immune-compromised staff should be transferred to other departments. Adequate N95 masks must be provided to hospital staff to prevent the spread of virus. Adequate antiviral supply should be ensured (if possible request from the international stockpile). Healthcare personnel working closely with patients should be vaccinated and enough beds should be made available for patients.”
