Even as the district medical and health officials were clarifying that there were no swine flu cases in Karimnagar district, people are panic-stricken over the fresh outbreak of the disease in Hyderabad as a swine flu death was reported in Karimnagar town, October last year.
Housewife K Saritha (24) of Adarshanagar here reportedly died of swine flu while undergoing treatment in Gandhi Hospital in October 2014.
Saritha delivered a baby in a private hospital here and after a month or so she complained about cough, fever, weakness, headache, breathlessness and other problems. When her condition deteriorated, she was shifted to a corporate hospital in Hyderabad and later to Gandhi Hospital, where she succumbed. District Medical and Health Officer Aleem said that there was no need to panic about the situation as there was no swine flu case in Karimnagar district as of now.
“We are taking all measures to educate people through posters, pamphlets besides an orientation programme by medical officers and others.
Even in mandals, the ANMs, ASHA workers and SHG women were empowered to educate people about the prevention of the disease and proper treatment by rushing the patient to the hospital, he said. With regard to patients being treated in some private hospitals, he said that they have invited the representatives of IMA, APNA and two medical colleges for the meeting and for sharing information of patients suffering from swine flu. He also said that all government hospitals were equipped with all medicines to tackle the swine flu and other diseases.
‘No cases reported in Nizamabad PHCs’
Nizamabad Special Correspondent adds: Spread of swine flu and increasing number of cases in Hyderabad has left people agitated in Nizamabad amid the rumours that a Muslim boy of Isanpally village in Darpally mandal reportedly died of the disease after being shifted to the Gandhi Hospital a couple of days ago.
A housewife in the old town here was reportedly diagnosed swine flu positive and shifted to Hyderabad for treatment.
However, the condition of her is not yet known. When contacted the District Medical and Health Officer Basweswari said that not a single case was recorded in Primary Health Centres and Government Hospital here.
Meanwhile, a noted physician and Sardar Patel Grameena Rural Health Federation president Dr. Bapu Reddy said that there was every possibility of the disease spreading even in the district if its incidence in the State capital was of any indication.
Blaming the government for its rapid spread he said instead of giving treatment to swine flu patients in Gandhi and Osmania General Hospitals they must be treated in the Institute of Tropical Diseases [Fever Hospital] at Koranti.
‘Isolation vital’
The swine flu cases must be identified and separated so that treatment could be extended in an isolated place which is vital for speedy control of the disease, he said and suggested to the government to vaccinate all medical, paramedical and administrative staff of all the hospitals especially the staff working at Gandhi, Osmania and the Fever Hospital.
Expressing a serious concern at the increasing number of swine flu cases by the day, he said today alone over 60 patients with the complaint of the killer disease were admitted to Gandhi Hospital.
Dr. Bapu Reddy who is seriously working on the rural health mission appealed to the Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to give top priority to the Swachh Bharath programme intended to ensure clean India.
He felt that it was a national programme and therefore everyone must feel responsible to execute it.
People told to take precautions
Nalgonda Staff Reporter adds: In view of increasing swine flu cases in parts of Telangana District Collector, P. Satyanarayana Reddy has advised the people of district to wear masks while moving in busy places as a precautionary measure. Since the Swine Influenza, the virus that causes swine flu, spreads from one person to another, the Collector advised people those who are suffering from cold, cough, headache, body pains, motions and respiratory problems to approach their nearest health centre with out any delay. Mr.Reddy asked people to wash their hands frequently. He called upon people not to take any medicine without the advise of doctor. The Collector appealed to people to help the government in controlling the spread of disease.
