Four more H1N1 testing centres to come up in Hyd

The state government has decided to set up four new centres for conducting H1N1 tests in Hyderabad. These would come up at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Kamineni Hospitals and one yet-to-be-decided location.

With the proposed centres and the already functioning Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM), there will be five centres in the city. Also, there are plans to set up one screening centre in each district headquarters. The samples from these screening centres would be sent to IPM or the proposed testing centres. At present, IPM, which is working round-the-clock, has a capacity to conduct 150 tests and gives the report the same day.

Meanwhile, 580 people have so far been tested positive, of which 32 have died of swine flu. However, unofficial sources put the figure at 50. The first swine flu case in Hyderabad was confirmed on May 16.

The incidence of swine flu, however, has come down in the last three days, according to health director Dasaratharami Reddy. Of the about 60 samples sent everyday, only 10-11 cases are now testing positive. Earlier, 35 to 40 per cent of the samples tested positive.

The Andhra Pradesh government had earlier said it would use the provisions of the Public Health Act to close down hospitals that declined to handle swine flu (H1N1 virus) despite having the facility. It also said network hospitals could invoke various provisions to claim the bills for treatment of H1N1 cases of those covered under the Aarogyasri scheme.

The government has also asked the network hospitals to have at least 10 isolation beds and another five beds with ventilation facilities. It has assured to provide enough tablets to the patients, doctors and other staff treating H1N1 patients.

According to Krishna M Ella, CMD of Bharat Biotech, which is making the vaccines for H1N1, the situation is not alarming and its spread can be prevented by following hygiene and keeping the surrounding clean.