Spurt in swine flu cases in Vizag

Officials on their toes as most of the cases are reported from urban limits

Spurt in swine flu cases in the district is keeping the health officials on their toes. What is more worrying for them is that many cases are being reported from the urban limits than the semi-urban and Agency areas.

The number of cases that tested positive for the virus in the district was 150 as on April 12 this year, said L. Kalyan Prasad, Swine Flu Nodal Officer, District Medical & Health Department, Visakhapatnam.

The number of such cases during the corresponding period the previous year was less than 10, said Tirupathi Rao, DMHO, Visakhapatnam.

Symptoms

“Besides the Health Department, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has launched awareness campaigns. Over 60% cases have been reported from the city limits. Patients with symptoms such as fever and body pains should immediately be admitted to hospital. They have to be isolated as the H1N1 virus spreads easily,” the DMHO said.

Another cause for worry was that the Health Department suspects a further rise in the number of cases in the next couple of weeks as the virus might have spread because of the recent election campaigns and public meetings.

Precautionary measures

Suggesting measures to check the spread of the virus, the health officials said people should cover their and nose and mouth whenever they go out and wash their hands often with soap without fail. Humid conditions aid in the spread of the virus, the officials warned.

“People with low immunity level, senior citizens and pregnant women are more vulnerable to contracting the virus,” the officials said.

“A few medicines have to be taken by the patients as per the doctor’s advice to avoid complications,” they said, and warned people against delay in treatment.