Rapid response teams to check swine flu

With 90 cases, including five deaths, of swine flu reported in the first half of this year, the Uttar Pradesh government has formed district-level rapid response teams to continuously monitor the situation.
These teams will consist of a public health specialist, a physician, an epidemiologist, a pathologist and a lab technician, an official said.
"In all the district hospitals of the state, a 10-bed isolation ward has been established. The state surveillance unit and district surveillance unit is continuously monitoring the swine flu situation in the state. Instructions have also been issued to combat any emergency-like situation pertaining to Influenza A (H1N1)," principal secretary, medicine, health and family welfare Prashant Trivedi said in a statement issued here.

He said swine flu is a viral disease, whose main symptoms are cold, runny nose and fever. This virus becomes active with the onset of winter season.
In the state, from January 1 to July 29 this year, the number of patients stand at 90, of which five have died, he said.
Trivedi also said that the roadmap for effective control was sent to departmental officials by March this year.
"All the doctors and para-medical staff posted at the casualty wards and emergency wards who treat and look after patients infected by H1N1 have been vaccinated. A toll free number 18001805145 has been activated. Apart from this, control rooms working round the clock are also being activated in various districts," he said.