Treyfish
Moderator
TNN 13 December 2009, 06:56am IST
<!-- google_ad_section_start -->JAIPUR: Concerned over the consistent rise in swine flu cases in the state, the Rajasthan government on Saturday opted to invoke the Epidemic Act. <TABLE style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 4px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 8px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD id=bellyad></TD></TR><TR><TD height=10></TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 5px" class=newptool1><TABLE id=newptool1 border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 11px" class=noimg1 colSpan=4></TD></TR><TR><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 11px" class=noimg1 height=10 colSpan=4></TD></TR><TR><TD class=nwmail1></TD><TD class=nwprnt1></TD><TD class=nwsve1></TD><TD class=nwcmt1></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 11px" class=noimg1 height=5 colSpan=4></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 0px 0px; CLEAR: both" class=cnt width=200 align=left><TBODY></TBODY></TABLE>The law, to become effective from Sunday, will empower health and district collectors to compulsorily quarantine people susceptible to swine flu, use any building or hospital and ask for compulsory cleanliness in any part of the state.
According to senior officials of health department, the decision to invoke the Act was taken to prevent the spread of the air-borne H1N1 virus. "The health department is doing all it can to contain the spread. We are taking preventive measures like screening of suspected patients, closing down educational institutions, authorising private hospitals and laboratories, all of which will continue. The Act now gives the collectors the authority to take decisions immediately as per the situation, without waiting for conventional formalities," said a senior official.
The collectors now have the authority to order closure of any public place, restrict the movement of an infected person or even issue orders to private hospitals. Following the Act, somebody who does not follow the collector’s directive can be booked and can face fine or jail.
The state government had been in a dilemma over invoking the Act ever since it was recommended by the office of chief medical and health officer two weeks back. Though the government was cagey about spreading a panic, there did not seem much choice with the flu spreading fast in the state. The decision is likely to have an adverse impact on the tourism industry. In fact, the Act had already been invoked in other states like Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa to prevent the spread of H1NI.
The H1N1 cases were first recorded in cities like Jaipur, Jodhpur and Ajmer and now spread to rural areas, which is said to have influenced the decision. The state has recorded a total of 94 deaths and 2243 positive cases, the latest casualty being reported from Nagaur on Saturday. Of the 33 districts in the state, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh and Sirohi are the only districts which have not reported a single H1N1 positive case as yet while deaths have been reported from 22 districts.
The casualty has been highest at Jodhpur with 28 deaths. :tiphat:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Flu-Epidemic-Act-invoked/articleshow/5332356.cms
<!-- google_ad_section_start -->JAIPUR: Concerned over the consistent rise in swine flu cases in the state, the Rajasthan government on Saturday opted to invoke the Epidemic Act. <TABLE style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 4px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 8px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD id=bellyad></TD></TR><TR><TD height=10></TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 5px" class=newptool1><TABLE id=newptool1 border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 11px" class=noimg1 colSpan=4></TD></TR><TR><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 11px" class=noimg1 height=10 colSpan=4></TD></TR><TR><TD class=nwmail1></TD><TD class=nwprnt1></TD><TD class=nwsve1></TD><TD class=nwcmt1></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 11px" class=noimg1 height=5 colSpan=4></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 0px 0px; CLEAR: both" class=cnt width=200 align=left><TBODY></TBODY></TABLE>The law, to become effective from Sunday, will empower health and district collectors to compulsorily quarantine people susceptible to swine flu, use any building or hospital and ask for compulsory cleanliness in any part of the state.
According to senior officials of health department, the decision to invoke the Act was taken to prevent the spread of the air-borne H1N1 virus. "The health department is doing all it can to contain the spread. We are taking preventive measures like screening of suspected patients, closing down educational institutions, authorising private hospitals and laboratories, all of which will continue. The Act now gives the collectors the authority to take decisions immediately as per the situation, without waiting for conventional formalities," said a senior official.
The collectors now have the authority to order closure of any public place, restrict the movement of an infected person or even issue orders to private hospitals. Following the Act, somebody who does not follow the collector’s directive can be booked and can face fine or jail.
The state government had been in a dilemma over invoking the Act ever since it was recommended by the office of chief medical and health officer two weeks back. Though the government was cagey about spreading a panic, there did not seem much choice with the flu spreading fast in the state. The decision is likely to have an adverse impact on the tourism industry. In fact, the Act had already been invoked in other states like Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa to prevent the spread of H1NI.
The H1N1 cases were first recorded in cities like Jaipur, Jodhpur and Ajmer and now spread to rural areas, which is said to have influenced the decision. The state has recorded a total of 94 deaths and 2243 positive cases, the latest casualty being reported from Nagaur on Saturday. Of the 33 districts in the state, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh and Sirohi are the only districts which have not reported a single H1N1 positive case as yet while deaths have been reported from 22 districts.
The casualty has been highest at Jodhpur with 28 deaths. :tiphat:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Flu-Epidemic-Act-invoked/articleshow/5332356.cms
