482 tested positive for swine flu in 2015 in J-K: Mufti Govt

Jammu and Kashmir government today said that 482 patients have been tested positive for H1N1 influenza in the state in 2015 with seven suspected deaths due to swine flu.
In a reply to a joint question of several members in Legislative Council, Minister for Health Choudhary Lal Singh said that health institutions of the state have reported 26 deaths which include seven suspected deaths from H1N1 influenza.
Most of the deaths occurred to patients suffering from comorbidites, the minister said, adding, 482 patients have tested positive for H1N1 influenza in the state.
Referring to measures taken by the government, he said that soon after first confirmed case was diagnosed at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences on January 27, an action plan was framed to deal with the influenza which envisaged setting up of isolation wards in tertiary hospitals of the state.

He said that till March 23, 8,665 health-care workers have been vaccinated to protect them from contracting the virus.
A 32-bedded isolation ward was made functional at SKIMS, Soura, for patients suffering from swine flu, he said, adding similarly, a four-bedded Intensive Care Unit and 10 isolation rooms were earmarked in SMHS hospital.

Isolation wards with capacity of ten beds each were also made operational at G B Panth Hospital and Chest disease Hospital in Srinagar, he said.
In Jammu, a ward with 48 independent rooms was earmarked for swine flu in GMC Hospital here.
The department established round the clock control rooms at directorate of health services in Jammu and Srinagar.

As far as the testing facilities are concerned, SKIMS has testing facility for H1N1 virus and state cabinet has sanctioned two testing laboratories for H1N1 at Government Medical college Jammu and Government Chest Disease hospital Srinagar, he said.
He further said the method of treatment varies from patient to patient depending upon the severity of the disease.