Gujarat authorities step up measures to combat Swine Flu

Authorities in Gujarat have stepped up measures to combat the spread of the fatal H1N1 virus that causes swine flu.

Arrangements for separate wards, beds, adequate medical supplies, including Tamiflu medicines, have been made in hospitals.

People are being educated on preventive measures and have been instructed to wear masks, wash their hands frequently, besides sanitising the environment.

"Nowadays, there are many cases of the swine flu seen in Gujarat state as well as the other neighbouring state and Telangana also. Initially (there) were few cases now day-by-day these cases are increasing and ours is the largest hospital, we have three identified wards for the swine flu treatment. We have 125 beds for the treatment. We have all sorts of equipments and medicine for the treatment of the swine flu. At present we have admitted 84 cases for the treatment under care and up till now we have treated more than 240 cases of swine flu," said Prabhakar, superintendent of a government hospital in Ahmedabad.

Special wards and counters have been opened in hospitals and a special team of doctors has been trained to tackle swine flu cases.

Ten more casualties have been reported in Gujarat due to the swine flu outbreak, taking the total death toll in the state over 100.

Meanwhile, over 150 new cases were reported in the state in the past 24 hours. The total number of such cases this year has now climbed over 1,000.

The symptoms for swine flu include high fever, headache, muscle pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain and internal and external bleeding. It is transmitted to people primarily from ticks and livestock animals with an incubation period of up to nine days. Human-to-human transmission takes up to two weeks.