AHMEDABAD: With 280 deaths and 3,220 reported cases, swine flu has emerged as a major challenge for the Gujarat government.
The flu killed more than 100 people in the last 10 days and more than 1,000 new cases were reported across the state, particularly in the cities of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot and Surat, which account for more than 60% of the cases and deaths.
Authorities expect the death toll to rise sharply because as on Monday, as many as 1,981 people were under treatment in various hospitals across the state. “It is expected to go up because more than 150 new cases are coming in daily compared to those getting discharged,” said a senior medical officer in Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.
To contain the spread of H1N1, Rajkot police commissioner has banned public fairs, which are organised in the festival season in August and September. Jamnagar administration has also cancelled permission to fairs.
“We have directed the district administrations to take a call whether to allow public events with large gatherings because this viral infection is spreading rapidly,” a senior government official said, adding that the state authorities and civic bodies had launched a statewide awareness campaign.
On Monday, the state government has constituted a task force to monitor the situation. All private and government hospitals have been given stock of Tamiflu, the tablet given to those diagnosed with H1N1 virus.
