After a large number of dengue cases were reported in the Kirari Assembly constituency in the past couple of months a campaign was launched on Sunday to make people aware of swine flu and its prevention.
Doctors have warned that swine flu, a contagious disease, may spread with dip in temperature. A large number of residents, especially women, gathered late Sunday evening to take oath to save their families from the disease.
They were mobilised by local Congress leader Pratyush Kanth, who said that the threat of the vector-borne disease loomed over the area, which is evidenced by the fact that as many as 1,000 dengue cases and 50 deaths due to it had been reported so far.
“We helplessly saw people suffer and die of dengue. But this time, we will ask people to wear mask as a precautionary measure. We demand that the AAP government ensure that all the chemists in the area should be directed to stock Tamiflu and all hospitals and nursing homes should be given free test kits,” Mr. Kanth said.
Referring to reports from doctors, Mr. Kanth claimed that the area was expected to fall prey to swine flu soon.
“Doctors here have been warning us that the H1N1 influenza is going to hit Kirari just the way dengue has been creating havoc... The highly-infectious swine flu will break out in Kirari and other areas of Delhi where the poor live and spread across the city the moment it becomes cooler. Not only do the big hospitals but even the smaller clinics have to be prepared to combat it,” Mr. Kanth said.