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Swine flu cases jump
Infection toll rises to 74 with reports of 36 new cases
Staff CorrespondentThe number of the swine flu infected in the country rose to 74 as government officials concerned confirmed 36 new cases yesterday. The cases were detected under the government's surveillance programme.
"Under the programme, specimens from typical flu patients are collected from 13 hospitals across the country and a community site and diagnosed once a week," said Prof Mahmudur Rahman, Director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
He also assured that all the new cases are mild and the patients are receiving treatment at home provided isolation. The patients are from Dhaka, Sylhet, Chittagong, Comilla, Dinajpur, Khulna and Rajshahi.
Health Minister Prof AFM Ruhal Haque said the situation is under control and the people need not to panic.
"The government has enough preparation to contain swine flu and there are trained professionals in every district hospital. Besides, health screening programme is ongoing at 16 entry points of the country," he said.
"But this is a warning for us," he told The Daily Star, adding that the swine flu situation in the country is now at level-2 as several cases have been detected in the community (cluster identification).
The government officials said members of Pandemic Influenza Management Committee had been already trained at five hospitals in the capital. These hospitals are Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital, Suhrawardi Hospital, National Institute of Diseases of Chest and Hospital and Infectious Diseases Hospital. Patients with flu symptoms would be treated there.
Health professionals of 95 urban primary health care centres would also receive training starting from today and it would be later extended to seven more private hospitals.
"People now need to maintain personal hygiene and inform health professionals if they suffer from flu," said Prof Ruhal Haque, adding that the government would strengthen media campaign to make people aware.
He also said he had already informed the prime minister about the swine flu situation in the country
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=102036
Infection toll rises to 74 with reports of 36 new cases
Staff CorrespondentThe number of the swine flu infected in the country rose to 74 as government officials concerned confirmed 36 new cases yesterday. The cases were detected under the government's surveillance programme.
"Under the programme, specimens from typical flu patients are collected from 13 hospitals across the country and a community site and diagnosed once a week," said Prof Mahmudur Rahman, Director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
He also assured that all the new cases are mild and the patients are receiving treatment at home provided isolation. The patients are from Dhaka, Sylhet, Chittagong, Comilla, Dinajpur, Khulna and Rajshahi.
Health Minister Prof AFM Ruhal Haque said the situation is under control and the people need not to panic.
"The government has enough preparation to contain swine flu and there are trained professionals in every district hospital. Besides, health screening programme is ongoing at 16 entry points of the country," he said.
"But this is a warning for us," he told The Daily Star, adding that the swine flu situation in the country is now at level-2 as several cases have been detected in the community (cluster identification).
The government officials said members of Pandemic Influenza Management Committee had been already trained at five hospitals in the capital. These hospitals are Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital, Suhrawardi Hospital, National Institute of Diseases of Chest and Hospital and Infectious Diseases Hospital. Patients with flu symptoms would be treated there.
Health professionals of 95 urban primary health care centres would also receive training starting from today and it would be later extended to seven more private hospitals.
"People now need to maintain personal hygiene and inform health professionals if they suffer from flu," said Prof Ruhal Haque, adding that the government would strengthen media campaign to make people aware.
He also said he had already informed the prime minister about the swine flu situation in the country
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=102036