Five test positive for swine flu, 2 docs from GMCH-32

A day after the UT Health department claimed that swine flu was being contained, five fresh H1N1 Influenza A (Swine flu) cases have been reported Wednesday out of which two are doctors at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32.

One of the two doctors is from the department of Orthopaedics while the other is a female doctors in Pathology department. The doctors have been quarantined.

The other three cases reported in the city were para medical staff of PGIMER.

Out of five infected patients who tested positive Wednesday, two are females and two males including a 14 year-old-boy.

"There is no need to panic and such cases do not indicate any outbreak. Such cases are scattered cases which carry the virus from outside," said a health department official.

Instructions have been given to the positive patients and their contacts to remain quarantined for a period of one week, said the doctor.

Since September 2012, a total of 25 H1N1 positive cases have been reported from Chandigarh region with an overall total of 57 cases tested positive at PGI.

According to health department officials, the emphasis is laid on contact tracing so that chemoprophylaxis can be provided to the high risk contacts in order to limit the infection spread further.

Meanwhile, a round-the-clock swine flu observation ward has been established in GMSH- 16 and at Civil Hospital-Manimajra. The sample collection facility (throat swab) for Swine Flu is available at GMSH-16, GMCH-32 and PGIMER.

PGIMER is the apex referral lab for the testing of H1N1. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) is the recommended drug for prevention and treatment.

So far, seven deaths have taken place in the city due to Swine flu out of which two patients belonged to Chandigarh while the remaining patients were from the neighbouring states who were admitted here.

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