| Author |
 Topic  |
|
S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
 Posted - 08/09/2009 : 08:05:47
|
'India developing indigenous swine flu vaccine'
New Delhi (IANS): India is expected to be among the first few countries to develop an indigenous, injectable swine flu vaccine and the government has already invited health centres to carry out human trials, says a top health official.
"We are not bothered about what is happening abroad. Our government has a plan to have indigenous vaccine by the end of this year and we will be among the first few countries to have such a vaccine to tackle the H1N1 virus," V.M. Katoch, secretary in the department of health research, told IANS in an interview.
"India started working on a vaccine from April soon after the pandemic broke out abroad. At least three companies are working on the vaccine. One company has made real progress and we believe by November, we will have something in hand," he added.
Mr. Katoch said the vaccine will be available in the market in an injectable format by the year-end.
Over the last couple of months, India has reported over 700 cases of swine flu, with Delhi and Maharashtra being the worst hit. Both the States have reported over 50 percent of the total cases in the country.
"The WHO has made available four strains and the drug controller (of India) has approved them all. Based on this, the vaccine is being developed at three places across the country.
"Three pharma companies — Serum Institute of India (Pune), Bharat Biotech (Hyderabad) and Panacea Biotech (New Delhi) — are working on developing the vaccine. The Pune company has made some real progress," he said.
While the Serum Institute is developing an "egg-based" vaccine, the other two are developing "cell line vaccines". "But all of them will be available as injections," Mr. Katoch added.
When asked about human trials, he said the health ministry has already notified health centres about this and all interested parties were welcome.
"After the animal trials at the above three companies, the vaccine will go for human trials. May be by November we will do some human trials."
"Before allowing any one we will verify his clinical trial credentials, past history and efficiency. There is a modern guideline for this and clinical trial centres have to follow the official protocol," the secretary told IANS.
He also said human trials will be conducted in multiple centres. "Some may be outside India too."
Mr. Katoch, a leading health scientist, said interested parties need to give a brief description of interest, experience, expertise and infrastructure available for conducting Phase-I and or Phase II multi-centre clinical trials.
He said India is ready for "fast track approval" of the vaccine as it generally takes a lot of time to develop a medicine or vaccine. He also clarified that quality shall not be compromised and all "safety measures" shall be taken care of.
The country has reported four H1N1 deaths so far. As on July 31, the World Health Organisation has reported 1,62,380 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza A (H1N1) and 1,154 deaths in over 150 countries.
|
 |
|
|
S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2009 : 08:14:15
|
US readies for swine flu epidemicAugust 9, 2009 .
SWINE flu outbreaks shouldn't close US schools unless so many students or teachers get sick that it interferes with teaching or puts the students at risk, health officials said yesterday.
The pandemic flu, also known as H1N1, can no longer be contained by closing schools and the disruptions caused by closures outweigh the public health benefits, according to guidelines posted on the Health and Human Services Department's website.
The guidelines cover the nation's 55 million students and 7 million staff at 130,000 public and private schools.
Health officials around the world are completing plans to deal with widespread outbreaks in the northern hemisphere, beginning in September when cooler temperatures and the return to schools may fuel the biggest flu epidemic in decades.
The recommendations say sick students should not return to school until 24 hours after their fever subsides.
''We know now that closing schools is not the best option in most cases,'' said Thomas Frieden, the director of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. ''If flu comes back in the [autumn] as it was in the spring, the key messages would be to stay home when you're sick, to wash your hands and to cover your cough and your sneeze.''
The initial spread of swine flu in April kept almost 500,000 students out of class by May.
Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said vaccination was the best way to prevent the spread of swine flu.
The swine flu vaccine will probably require two shots, administered three weeks apart, according to yesterday's report. The body won't be protected for two weeks after the second shot.
|
|
|
|
S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2009 : 08:16:54
|
India scrambles for germ-free eggs for swine flu vaccines
New Delhi (IANS): The crack team at the Pune-based Serum Institute of India, which is charged with creating a vaccine for swine flu, is confronted with a problem — sourcing enough chicken eggs free of pathogens, or germs, to grow the vaccine.
Luckily, Venkateshwara Hatcheries, India's largest poultry farm, is situated in the very city where there was panic among residents after the first death on account of swine flu August 3.
"Currently the company will supply us about 1,00,000 pathogen-free eggs," Suresh Jadhav of the Serum institute told the Indian edition of "Technology Review", the 109-year publication of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
"But if there is an urgent requirement to step up the vaccine production, they will be able to give us up to 2.5 million eggs a month," Mr. Jadhav was further quoted as telling the magazine, published in India by CyberMedia.
There are two farms in Bangalore as well that could be roped in if the swine flu virus spins out of control in India. Over 700 confirmed swine flu cases have been reported in India till on Friday.
Under the scheme supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Serum Institute is committed to providing at least 10 per cent of itsproduction of vaccine against swine flu for use in other countries.
"Such an assurance has been guaranteed by the Indian government. This is just to ensure that in the case of a national emergency, the government does not stake claim to the entire production, leaving nothing for global use," said the institute's senior director Satish Ravetkar.
Though the government has given the go-ahead for mass-scale production of the H1N1 influenza vaccine, it has yet to give firm orders to either the Serum institute or the two other Indian companies -- Panacea Biotec, New Delhi, and Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad — about the quantity requirements.
"We have given approvals to these three companies to get seed strains from Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the UK-based National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) to start preliminary research," said Drug Controller General of India Surinder Singh.
The companies will now have to go through the other stages of development like preclinical trials and clinical tests.
Scientists at the Serum institute expect to have the vaccine ready by September. They are also preparing a limited human trial involving at least 25 volunteers. However, it will be another six months before the vaccine is ready for mass use.
In the event of an emergency, WHO has clarified that countries could relax some of the stringent provisions related to approvals to speed up the vaccine's availability to fight a raging swine flu pandemic.
Authorities in China have been more proactive and the Beijing city government has already placed the order to supply at least four million doses by the end of September to local vaccine maker Sinovac.
This will be administered to 2 million people in the high risk group. Additional orders are expected beginning in October and, in total, Sinovac expects to supply approximately 10 million doses to the Beijing government.
The 10 million doses will be administered to 5 million people in Beijing.
Indians are waiting for a similar announcement from their government. Of course, the government is not too worried because of the mild form of infection that has surfaced in the country so far.
Yet again, the technological prowess demonstrated by the Serum institute, in developing an influenza vaccine in the shortest possible time, could benefit millions across the globe.
|
|
|
|
S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2009 : 09:05:03
|
Eight more swine flu deaths in Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur (PTI): Malaysia on Sunday reported eight more swine flu deaths, bringing the country's death toll related to the virus attack to 26.
Malaysian Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the deaths reported between August 3 to 8, were confirmed to have resulted from influenza A (H1N1) following test results.
Mr. Liow said the latest eight deaths involved mainly people in the high risk group, though there was a 20-year-old college student who was found dead at her hostel about a week after getting outpatient treatment at a hospital.
The dead included a 24-year-old obese woman who died of pulmonary oedema after a bout of flu and fever, a 74-year-old man with a history of heart problem who died of pneumonia and pulmonary oedema, a 47-year-old with asthma and a 37-year-old obese male who died of broncho-pneumonia.
The Minister said as of today there were a total of 62 patients warded in hospitals with 13 in the intensive care units, while an additional five were waiting for test results.
The Health Minister also said that in Sabah State 402 confirmed cases had been detected, with seven patients still in hospital and one in ICU.
He said 35 schools had also been closed to date.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Premier Muhyiddin Yassin said the country's Education Ministry had contingency plans including adjusting the dates for public examinations if the Influenza A(H1N1) situation in schools could not be managed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2009 : 20:23:27
|
Sorry, says Azad
Pune/New Delhi: Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday apologised to the mother of Reeda Shaikh, 14, who died of swine flu.
Mr. Azad had said that India’s first swine flu victim could have infected some 85 others while changing hospitals.
This angered Reeda’s family which demanded his resignation and an apology from him.
|
|
|
|
S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2009 : 20:24:57
|
82 fresh swine flu cases; total stands at 864
New Delhi (PTI): Swine flu continued to grip the country with 82 fresh cases on Sunday with 34 people testing positive in Pune, one of the places worst hit by the infection with two deaths already reported from there.
With these cases, the total number of positive cases has gone up to 864 in the country.
About 4,084 people have been tested so far out of which 864 are positive for Influenza A H1N1 (swine flu), the health ministry said.
Of them, 633 have been identified through entry screening, 803 through contact tracing and the rest detected when they reported voluntarily. Of these positive cases, 523 have been discharged.
Delhi reported 13 cases followed by Mumbai (12), Chennai (7), Goa (4), Vadodara (3), Calicut (2), Hyderabad (2), Gurgaon (2) and one each from Trivandrum, Sirsa and Trissur, the ministry said.
Health screening of passengers coming from affected countries is continuing in the 22 international airports where 224 doctors and 151 paramedics are manning 81 counters.
A total of 44,296 passengers have been screened so far.
Of them, 37,181 passengers were from affected countries.
Out of the 13 cases in Delhi, 12 have contracted from positive patients while one man travelled from Singapore August 7 and was detected to be symptomatic at the airport.
He has been admitted to the identified health facility, the ministry said.
All 34 patients in Pune are local cases and they do not have travel history.
Similarly, of the 12 patients in Mumbai, 11 are local cases while an eight-year-old boy who travelled from Europe tested positive for the virus.
Chennai has reported seven cases and all of them are local cases.
One of the four cases in Goa has a contact who previously tested positive to the virus. The second and third patients traveled from Bangkok while the fourth one travelled from Sharjah.
In Vadodara, out of the three cases, a brother-sister duo travelled from Virginia, USA. They reported with symptoms on August 6. The third case is local case.
In Calicut, out of the two cases, one travelled from the UK while the other has a travel history from Dubai.
In Hyderabad, one of the two cases is a contact of an earlier positive patient. The other travelled from California via Singapore.
The two cases in Gurgaon are contacts of previously positive patients and the lone case reported from Trivandrum is a local case.
In Sirsa, Haryana, one patient has no travel history while in Trissur, the patient arrived from Los Angeles.
The 42-year-old schoolteacher, who died in Pune, had swine flu symptoms from August one and he took treatment at the local level. He was admitted to Sassoon Hospital on August 7. He expired in the early hours on Sunday.
There are six patients who are still admitted in Sassoon Hospital, Pune. Of them, the condition of three are critical, the Ministry said.
In Ahmedabad, a 42-year-old man, who travelled from Atlanta, died of swine flu. He was admitted in Sanjeevani Hospital on August 6.
A Central team is stationed at Pune to assess the situation and institute appropriate public health measures.
The World Health Organization has reported 1,62,380 laboratory confirmed cases of Influenza A/H1N1 (swine flu) by July 31 and 1,154 deaths.
|
|
|
|
S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2009 : 20:33:11
|
33% Indians likely to get H1N1: Azad
Kounteya Sinha, TNN 10 August 2009, 03:50am IST
NEW DELHI: Admitting that the no government measure could prevent the spread of the H1N1 influenza in India, Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Sunday that around one-third of the Indian population was likely to get infected with the virus over the next two years, in accordance with WHO predictions. But most people would suffer only mild symptoms of the disease, he added.
``It's a global pandemic. If countries across the world - around 168 till now - are suffering from a H1N1 outbreak, so will India. We are, however, lucky that it didn't start from here,'' Azad told TOI in an interview.
However, Azad had one clear message - there is no need to panic as India is still much better off than most countries across the globe who have been hit harder by the pandemic.
Azad said India, which till Sunday recorded 864 positive cases of H1N1 with four deaths, was still in the early days of the outbreak. ``We will see many more positive cases of H1N1 infection and maybe more deaths, exactly similar to what is happening across the globe. The virus is highly contagious. People should self report and not wait for government to track them down,'' he added.
According to him, it hasn't even reached the pandemic stage in India. Azad, praising India's phenomenal job in keeping the virus quiet for so long, said industrialized countries such as UK, US, Canada, Australia and Argentina were reporting positive cases in lakhs every week.
``In England, there were 30,000 cases of H1N1 last week and 1.10 lakh cases the week before. Around 36 people have died there so far. In Argentina, they have registered a total of 7.62 lakh cases of flu of which 93% are H1N1 infections. They have had 337 deaths,'' the minister said.
"The US, which has stopped recording positive cases, has at present 6,506 people hospitalized with H1N1 infection and 436 deaths. In Australia, there are around 30,000 confirmed H1N1 cases with 85 deaths. So you can understand the intensity of the virus spread. In comparison, till yesterday India had 782 positive H1N1 cases of which 511 have been treated and discharged and 271 are under treatment. We have recorded four deaths till now,'' he added.
According to the health minister, two of India's innovative interventions - entry screening at airports and ports and mass scale contact tracing - have proved a saver. ``Or else, by now we would have had crores of H1N1 infected people,'' Azad said.
He said India's interventions had been applauded globally. ``We have till now screened over 45 lakh passengers in 22 international airports. Every third H1N1 positive case in India was identified through airport screening. And then we tracked down every single person the infected patient may have come in contact with, looking for H1N1 symptoms in them. Till now, over 8,000 contacts of infected patients have been traced and given prophylactic treatment besides those who were found to be H1N1 positive,'' he said.
On what discussions took place when he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after the latest deaths, Azad said, ``It was a simple review meeting. The PM wanted to know what the ministry was doing. He made no suggestions.''
On what India was doing as part of its control and containment operations, he said, ``We are starting an exclusive H1N1 influenza website on Monday which will tell people about do's and don'ts, where to go for clinical assessment and testing, statewise situation of the pandemic, phone numbers and names of labs and hospitals one should approach and total number of cases and deaths being reported due to H1N1.
However it will not have a flu tracker as of now which will tell you whether you should report to authorities on typing down your symptoms,'' Azad said.
Meanwhile, Azad wasn't happy about schools across India shutting down because their students tested positive.
In Delhi, the privately run Sanskriti School closed down for a week after three students tested positive for swine flu, including one who recently visited Britain.
``Till now, it is clear that the virus is city centric. Not a single case has come up from the villages. Shutting a school wouldn't mean you can stop students from attending parties and meeting friends in the evening where they can get the infection. Schools must stay open,'' Azad told TOI.
WHO had earlier said that by the end of the pandemic, anywhere between 15-45% of a population will have been infected by the new pandemic virus. If one takes the mid-point figure, 30%, it'll mean 2 billion people getting the infection, WHO said.
India on Sunday recorded 82 new cases of H1N1 - Delhi 13, Pune 34, Mumbai 12, Chennai 7, Goa 4, Vadodara 3, Calicut 2, Hyderabad 2, Gurgaon 2, Trivandrum 1, Sirsa (Haryana) 1 and Trissur 1.
In Delhi out of the 13 cases, 12 are contact cases. All the 34 cases in Pune are indigenous cases, mostly school and social contacts with no travel history.
In Mumbai, out of 12 cases, 11 cases are indigenous ones. Chennai too reported seven cases, all indigenous.
According to the ministry, there are six cases who are still admitted in Sassoon Hospital, Pune, out of which the condition of three are critical. |
|
|
|
S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2009 : 02:56:58
|
Child dies of swine flu, first victim in Chennai
CHENNAI: Swine flu has claimed its first victim in Tamil Nadu with the death of a 4-year-old boy at a private hospital in Chennai on Monday.
Hospital authorities said, the boy, who had tested positive for A (H1N1) virus, died due to mulitple organ failure at 8.35 a.m.
|
|
|
|
S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2009 : 08:55:03
|
Maharashtra govt orders closure of all Pune schools, colleges
PTI 10 August 2009, 03:11pm IST
PUNE: The Maharashtra government on Monday ordered closure of schools and colleges in Pune, where swine flu has claimed three lives so far.
"All schools, colleges and private coaching classes in Pune and neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad would remain closed for seven days," district guardian minister Ajit Pawar told reporters here.
"We will compensate for the gap by reducing Diwali holidays by a week," he said.
Schools and colleges should use the week's period to get their premises disinfected and sterilised, Pawar said.
On the three H1N1 deaths in Pune, Pawar said, "Had the patients been given immediate treatment, they could have been saved. They were admitted to the government hospitals very late, after first going to private hospitals."
Three swine flu patients in Pune's Sassoon hospital are in critical condition, he said.
So far, 778 persons have been admitted to various hospitals in Pune, of which 135 tested positive for H1N1 virus have been discharged after treatment, he added.
Related Articles
Pune doctor dies of swine flu, toll rises to 5
|
|
|
|
S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2009 : 08:58:32
|
Shri Azad announces new decisions for tackling H1N1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18:36 IST
The Hon’ble Minister for Health and Family Welfare today (10.8.2009) reviewed the situation of the Influenza A H1N1 outbreak in the country. The Cabinet Secretary also attended the review meeting. Other senior officers present in the meeting are –
(i) Dr. V.M. Katoch, Secretary (Health Research) & DG, ICMR.
(ii) Smt. S. Jalaja, Secretary (Health and Family Welfare)
(iii) Dr. Shiv Lal, Spl. DGHS and Director, NICD
(iv) Dr. Surinder Singh, DCGI.
(v) Dr. Srinath Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI)
(vi) Shri V. Venkatachalam, Additional Secretary, M/o Health & FW.
(vii) Shri Vineet Chawdhry, M/o Health and Family Welfare
(viii) Shri Arun Jha, Joint Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals.
It was noted that out of 864 number of cases that had tested positive so far, 523 had been treated and discharged. The other 341 patients are under treatment. There had, however, been 6 deaths ( 3 in Pune, 1 in Mumbai, 1 in Ahmedabad and 1 in Chennai)
The following decisions were taken:-
(i) 45,26,671 number of passengers have been so far screened at international airports, sea ports and other points of entry. On a daily basis, as many as 45,000 passengers are screened. Of the 4084 that have been tested, 633 has been detected through screening. It has, therefore, been decided that the screening of international passengers would continue at the international airports, sea ports and other points of entry.
(ii) 4 Thermal Scanners had been installed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi on a pilot basis. Their performance has been observed and it has been noted that detection of cases through screening had improved from 5% to more than 20%. It has, therefore, been decided that thermal scanners for other international airports in the country would be procured and installed on emergency basis.
(iii) The National stockpile of Oseltamivir will be up scaled by another 2 crore capsules. The existing stockpile would be decentralized even further.
(iv) Teams of Senior Officers from the Government of India will visit each State and UT headquarters to assess the preparedness in the States in terms of isolation capacity and clinical assessment in different hospitals both in the Government sector and the private sector.
(v) Guidelines for approving private diagnostic laboratories for testing Influenza A H1N1 have been finalized. These have already been communicated to States. Private diagnostic laboratories that fulfill these guidelines would be allowed to test for Influenza A (H1N1). This will ensure availability of additional diagnostic capacity in the country to test for Influenza A (H1N1). Simultaneously wherever possible, the testing capacity of existing 19 designated laboratories would be doubled.
(vi) To ensure availability of adequate testing reagents, it was decided that another 22,000 kits would be procured immediately in addition to the 27,000 kits recently procured. Simultaneously, the ICMR would examine the possibility of developing low cost testing kit, which could then be deployed throughout the country.
(vii) 3 indigenous companies are already working for development of vaccines for Influenza A H1N1. One company has already commenced animal trial of these vaccines. To ensure fast track production of the vaccines, it was decided that the Indian Council for Medical Research would harmonize animal trails of the vaccines being developed by these companies.
(viii) The issue of closure of schools was discussed. It was decided that this decision had to be based on the situation prevailing in the affected areas and therefore, it would be for the State Governments to take a decision about closure of schools. However, mere closure of schools would not solve the problem, unless the children restrict themselves to their homes. If they continue to move around and socialize, closure of schools would not serve any purpose. Therefore, it was more important that parents ensure that children who show signs of influenza like illness stay at home and do not socialize. This hold equally good for adults also. (ix)
DS/GK
|
|
|
|
S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2009 : 09:10:33
|
JIPMER fully equipped to treat swine flu cases
Puducherry (PTI): Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) here was fully equipped for treating swine flu cases, a senior official of the institution said here on Monday.
Director of JIPMER Dr K S V K Subba Rao told PTI that four persons with suspected swine flu were admitted few days ago. However they were tested negative.
Dr. Rao said four doctors from Department of Microbiology and Community Medicine have undergone special trainining in New Delhi to handle the swine flu cases", he said.
Puducherry Home and Health Minister E Valsaraj had stated in the assembly a few days ago that no case of swine flu has been reported in the Union Territory.
Health authorities were keeping close vigil and no case had been reported from anywhere in Puducherry, he said.
|
|
|
|
S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2009 : 09:13:50
|
Swine flu: TN CM convenes high-level meeting
CHENNAI (PTI): With Tamil Nadu reporting the first swine flu death of a child, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has convened a high-level meeting on Tuesday to chalk out measures to contain further spread of the viral disease.
The meeting would be attended by medical professionals and state government officials, Karunanidhi told reporters here.
Among measures to check the spread of deadly virus, the meeting would also discuss on setting up a top-level monitoring committee.
It would also look into issues like reported scarcity of test kits at King Institute, the only authorised centre in Tamil Nadu to carry out swab tests.
No need for panic
Mr. Karunanidhi appealed to the people not to panic as the state government would take all necessary steps to contain further spread of the disease.
A four-year-old boy, Sanjay B, with symptoms of swine flu, died at a private hospital here this morning, becoming the first casualty from the state and the sixth in the country.
The boy was hospitalised for high fever and cold a week-ago and had tested positive for the virus yesterday. He had been put on ventilator, Dr N Prahalad of the hospital said.
"It is unfortunate that the boy succumbed to the disease due to multiple organ failure," Dr N Prahalad, pediatrician and pediatric nephrologist who attended on Sanjay at the Mehta Hospital, told reporters.
The boy was hospitalised on Friday in a critical condition and tested positive to the virus after samples were taken on Saturday, Prahalad said.
The doctor said the boy's blood pressure and pulse started to deteriorate "drastically" and he succumbed to the disease despite all efforts. To a question on the source of the disease, Prahalad said it was very difficult to ascertain from where he had contracted the virus.
Sanjay is the the sixth and youngest victim of the dreaded disease since its outbreak in the country.
Chief Minister M Karunandhi has convened a meeting of medical professionals and top officials to discuss steps to
|
|
|
|
S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2009 : 19:01:24
|
Proper disposal of used masks important: experts
Chitra Nair, TNN 11 August 2009, 12:54am IST
PUNE: In the absence of a proper disposal system for used masks in the city, which is a cause of concern since used masks can spread the H1N1 virus, medical practitioners and experts across the city have advocated the use of cloth masks or handkerchiefs which can be washed and used again.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to put to use its incinerator to dispose of the masks. "The disposable masks will be collected from hospitals along with with the bio-medical waste and will be disposed of in the incinerator. As for masks that are thrown on the roads, we have asked the ward medical officers to make sure that such masks are collected and disposed off properly," said Suresh Jagtap, head of the solid waste management department of the PMC. He also requested people not to leave used masks around carelessly.
Speaking to TOI, Dilip Sarda, president of the Indian Medical Association's (IMA) Pune branch, said that careless disposal of masks would only result in the faster spread of the H1N1 infection. "The virus is alive for almost eight hours after it leaves the human body, so the chance of the virus spreading from these used masks left around is high. That apart, there are now some people who are selling used masks at traffic signals. This is extremely dangerous," he said. He said that people using disposable masks should throw them in trash bins after wrapping them.
Molecular biologist Nikhil Phadke is of the opinion that since the virus can stay alive for almost two to eight hours, it is essential for people not to come in contact with the used masks. "The virus can spread to unaffected places this way. The mask needs to be disposed of in the trash. For example, a ragpicker coming in contact with a used mask would unknowingly spread it to a number of other people," said Phadke. He added that equal care needs to be taken about the disposal of other objects that have come in contact with a patient, such as tissues, napkins and paper towels.
The secretary of the Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchyat (KKPKP), Laxmi Narayan, says that the organisation is aware of the health risk that these used masks pose for waste-pickers. "While we have been telling them to take particular care, we have been able to inform only those who are involved in home-based collection of waste. It is difficult to get the message out to scavengers. We are very concerned because the H1N1 flu would spread quickly among this particular population," she added.
|
|
|
|
S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2009 : 01:03:27
|
With the number of A(H1N1) cases increasing in the State, the district administration on Wednesday began screening of passengers reaching the city, especially those from Maharashtra.
District Health and Family Welfare Officer N.M. Angadi told The Hindu that screening of passengers had begun at Hubli Railway Station and Hubli Airport. However, no suspected case of A(H1N1) flu had been reported in the district, he said.
A medical team comprising a doctor, a staff nurse and a health worker had been deployed for screening patients who volunteered for the test, he said. Dr. Angadi said that stalls had been put up at both the places and those with fever and related problems could undergo check-up. They would be advised and given medicine, he added.
The medical team had been given directions on how to conduct screening and if they came across people with symptoms similar to those suffering from A(H1N1), they would arrange to send them to the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) for further tests, he said.
Dr. Angadi said that samples would be sent to NIMHANS in Bangalore. He clarified that not a single case of suspected A(H1N1) flu had been reported in the district.
|
|
|
|
S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2009 : 01:08:51
|
1,400 schools adhere to diktat & close doors
Hemali Chhapia, TNN 13 August 2009, 02:10am IST
MUMBAI: The state passed a resolution on Wednesday asking all the 1,400 schools across the city to remain shut from August 13 to 19 as a precautionary measure against the spread of swine flu. Authorities in Navi Mumbai also ordered the closure of another 1,200 schools in Thane and Navi Mumbai. Coaching academies, too, were asked to call off lectures till next Thursday.
Maharashtra Coaching Classes Owners' Association secretary Narendra Bambwani sent a message to all coaching academies to cancel lectures in accordance with the government's diktat.
While a majority of schools have cancelled their unit tests, students and parents have been informed that either their Diwali or Christmas holidays will be truncated to make up for lost time.
At Cathedral and John Connon School, Fort, principal Meera Issacs said the school will make up for lost time by working on four Saturdays. Teachers have asked their respective classes to work on their internal projects and submit them when the school reopens.
Many principals felt that the call for a shutdown was "a ridiculous decision'' on the part of the authorities. They argued that there is no guarantee that the flu is going to subside within a week.
At Utpal Sanghvi, the first semester exams scheduled to take off from August 24, were cancelled and principal Abha Dharampal said that students had not been saddled with any projects. "I feel that they should just be children. Let them lie in bed and gape at the ceiling,'' she said.
In most schools, however, homework and projects have been doled out, but primarily to senior students who have vast portions to cover. At Holy Family High School, for instance, students had been asked to solve the first unit test papers again and prepare for an objective-based exam that will be considered for their promotion. Similarly, Chatrabhuj Narsee head Girija Mohan said that her students have been told to come prepared for their exam as well as work on their projects.
The south Mumbai New Era School, which is already utilising public holidays and Saturdays - to make up for the month lost when the management and parents had locked horns over the shifting of the school campus - has also assigned students some homework, said principal Malti Renjen. "Teachers have been asked to speed up the work of correcting papers.''
Bombay Scottish School in Mahim and St Aloysius School in Bandra will resume classes only in the fourth week of the month, after their term break ends. |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
|
|
'Swine flu more dangerous than bird flu'
