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Govt directs private doctors to report H1N1 cases
16 Jun 2009, 0313 hrs IST, TNN
AHMEDABAD: Private doctors in the state have been directed to report any person showing symptoms of H1N1 who may have missed the surveillance
system at the international airport terminal. This is possible because the virus has an incubation of seven to 10 days.
"Over 2,000 reporting units have been created across state to keep a tab on the swine flu patients. Apart from government setups, we are in touch with leading medical practitioners in state to keep a tab on people who may have cleared the screening at international airport," a senior health and family department official told TOI.
Officials said that a team of eight doctors headed by a Chief District Health Officer (CDHO) or regional deputy director has been deputed at the airport for monitoring screening of persons arriving through an international flight. If the traveller doesn't show symptoms, his details are taken down and he is given a leaflet containing complete information about symptoms including state health control number where he is supposed to report in case they show up later. Daily report is being analysed by department officials.
State has also initiated a quarantine area where several rooms in the Civil Hospital have been slotted for patients who may have come in contact with a swine flu patient.
An isolation ward has been set up for keeping for any international passengers who display swine flu symptoms. Meanwhile, experts said that swine flu is contagious but not dangerous. "According to current reports, the mortality rate of swine flu is 0.5. Its symptoms are mainly like the common influenza where the person gets fever, running nose, watery eyes and then coughing. The only concern is that it spreads very rapidly," said infectious diseases specialist Dr Atul Patel.
Dr Patel said that patients who have travelled abroad and get such symptoms should take them seriously and report the case to curb the spread of the disease. "Currently, Tamiflu drug is being used to treat this condition which is available only with government hospitals," he added.