Teen could have spread flu on train

The recent case of a 15-year-old girl who tested positive for the H1N1 virus has been giving sleepless nights...

The recent case of a 15-year-old girl who tested positive for the H1N1 virus has been giving sleepless nights to the Union Health Ministry. The girl,who landed in New Delhi from the US on June 22,then took a train to Mumbai the next day.

Officials fear she might have infected many others on board the train as she reported at the identified health facility in Mumbai with flu symptoms on June 25.

The ministry has now asked the railways to track down people who travelled in the same compartment on the August Kranti Express.

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We have started the process of tracing the contacts. Once these passengers are tracked,the health authorities at all stops on the trains route will be contacted and Tamiflu sent to them, said Joint Secretary Vineet Chawdhry.

Meanwhile,the Ministry of External Affairs has taken up the matter of exit screening and issue of health card along with the visa with Indian missions abroad. In a letter last week,Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had suggested that the MEA issue health card along with visa in the flu affected countries.

Following Azads suggestion,the MEA has now written back to the Health Ministry saying they have asked their mission abroad to start the process and press for exit screening with the government there.