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| | The ()()()__FuFa- FUlly FAaltoo NETWORK__()()() Network is not currently active and cannot accept new posts | | H1N1 (Swine Flu): Parents, students told to be cautious | Views: 387 | | Jul 22, 2009 9:51 am | | H1N1 (Swine Flu): Parents, students told to be cautious | # |
RVIyengar | |
H1N1: Parents, students told to be cautious
The Times of India
July 22, 2009
PUNE: With 25th case of H1N1 flu detected in the city (15th from one school), health authorities have said that all precautions are being taken to ensure the virus does not spread further.
Assistant director of health Ravindra Katti said that parents and relatives have been told about precautions to be taken to prevent transmission and have been asked not to mix with people.
While the school has been shut for a week, parents and relatives have been told not to mix with the community for some days and not to send students for tutions classes, so that the virus does not spread to other schools.
Parents have also been appealed to quarantine' the children at home and approach Naidu hospital immediately if they observe any symptoms of the virussince the medical facility is available only with government machinery. "The Tamiflu medicine is available only at Naidu hospital and there is no private distribution," said Katti talking to press reporters on Tuesday.
Katti said the process of preventing the transmission has been established right from the entry point of the airport. He informed that till date 94,000 cases of H1N1 flu have been registered across 135 countries in the world and 475 deaths reported.
"From the third week of April, airport screening has begun at Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur. We try to isolate the suspects from point of entry or when the symptoms are developed. Around 2.5 lakh people have been screened at airports till date," Katti said.
"In Pune, arrangements have been made at Naidu hospital to quarantine the suspects and those tested positive. There is a 20 cot capacity, which can be extended by 20 more cots. Similarly, arrangements can be made at Yashwantrao Chavan hospital at Pimpri with 20 cots," he said.
Since May 12, 117 suspects have been admitted in Pune, of which 25 were found positive. "Sixteen patients have been discharged and currently there are nine positive and nine suspected students at Naidu hospital," Katti said.
Facilities have also been made at Kasturba Gandhi hospital in Mumbai and Government medical college in Nagpur.
Pune Municipal Corporation health department head R R Pardeshi said that attention has been focused on students who were found positive in the particular school and ensuring that the virus does not transmit beyond the formed cluster.
"From our side, we are taking all necessary measures so that the virus does not transmit to more people from the focus point (the school). We'll also discuss eventually if there is a need to trace more schools where students have come from abroad," Pardeshi said.
Private Reply to RVIyengar | | Jul 22, 2009 10:00 am | | re: H1N1 (Swine Flu): Parents, students told to be cautious | # |
RVIyengar | |
SWINE FLU SYMPTOMS
Swine Flu Basics
By Vincent Iannelli, M.D.
Although the name 'swine flu' brings up a lot of extra fear and worry, it is important to note that swine flu is just an influenza A H1N1 virus.
That means that it is just another type of flu virus, just like that causes our typical seasonal flu symptoms. The big difference is that the current swine influenza A (H1N1) virus has components of pig and bird influenza viruses in it, so that humans don't have any immunity to it. That makes it more likely to become a pandemic virus (have the ability to cause a global outbreak) if it can easily spread from person-to-person.
So far, even as you see swine flu cases increase on this swine flu map, experts don't know if this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus will become a pandemic strain of flu. It could or we just continue to see sporadic cases for a few weeks or months until it stops.
We do know that swine flu symptoms are just like seasonal flu symptoms.
SWINE FLU SYMPTOMS
According to the CDC, like seasonal flu, symptoms of swine flu infections can include:
• fever, which is usually high, but unlike seasonal flu, is sometimes absent
• cough
• runny nose or stuffy nose
• sore throat
• body aches
• headache
• chills
• fatigue or tiredness, which can be extreme
• diarrhea and vomiting, sometimes, but more commonly seen than with seasonal flu
Signs of a more serious swine flu infection might include pneumonia and respiratory failure.
If your child has symptoms of swine flu, you should avoid other people and call your pediatrician who might do a rapid flu test to see if he has an influenza A infection. Further testing can then be done to see if it is a swine flu infection. (Samples are being sent to local and state health departments and the CDC for confirmation of swine flu.)
SERIOUS SWINE FLU SYMPTOMS
More serious symptoms that would indicate that a child with swine flu would need urgent medical attention include:
• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish or gray skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
SWINE FLU SYMPTOMS VS. A COLD OR SINUS INFECTION
It is important to keep in mind most children with a runny nose or cough will not have swine flu and will not have to see their pediatrician for swine flu testing.
This time of year, many other childhood conditions are common, including:
• spring allergies - runny nose, congestion, and cough
• common cold - runny nose, cough, and low grade fever
• sinus infections - lingering runny nose, cough, and fever
• strep throat - sore throat, fever, and a positive strep test
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
• Swine flu likely spreads by direct contact with respiratory secretions of someone that is sick with swine flu, like if they were coughing and sneezing close to you.
• People with swine flu are likely contagious for one day before and up to seven days after they began to get sick with swine flu symptoms.
• Droplets from a cough or sneeze can also contaminate surfaces, such as a doorknob, drinking glass, or kitchen counter, although these germs likely don't survive for more than a few hours.
• Anti-flu medications, including Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir), are available to prevent and treat swine flu.
• The latest swine flu news from the CDC includes advice that students should stay home if they have swine flu symptoms, but schools do not need to close unless they have large clusters of cases that are affecting school functioning. Schools that closed based on previous recommendations, such as if they had a single confirmed case or probable case, can now likely reopen.
Source: http://pediatrics.about.com/od/swineflu/a/409_symptoms.htm
Private Reply to RVIyengar | | Jul 23, 2009 4:55 pm | | re: re: H1N1 (Swine Flu): Parents, students told to be cautious | # | 
FuFaji Lalit Vashishta | | Thankyou for the info venky.
Welcome back
This is becoming scary now Private Reply to FuFaji Lalit Vashishta | | Jul 24, 2009 3:35 pm | | re: re: re: H1N1 (Swine Flu): Parents, students told to be cautious | # | 
Bishwadip Roy | | Not as scary as it is in England right now - its expected about 30% of the population will get it. The Dept of Health has started a website where you can self-diagnose and have Tamiflu delivered to you, if you fit the criteria. They've asked people not to come to clinics or hospitals if you have the bug. Basically, the message and guidance is confused and the system is open to abuse. People have died, but the govt is saying its only those with underlying illnesses that are most at risk (cancer patients, transplant patients, haemophiliacs, etc.) On the other hand, there are people organising "swine flu parties"! The intention is that you catch the bug now, and it will give you immunity from a more virulent strain that everyone is predicting will come this winter. As for me, I'm lying low and avoiding anyone with a cough- don't want to catch it before I go on my hols in 2 weeks. Private Reply to Bishwadip Roy | | |
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