Two new cases of swine flu have been confirmed by the Mohali health department, taking their number this year to three.
The two patients include a 61-year-old man from Omax Silver Burge, Mullanpur, and a 60-year-old woman from Bhopal.
According to the health department, the woman had travelled to Shimla for vacation and was brought to a private hospital in Mohali with complaints of respiratory distress. Samples of both patients were sent to PGIMER for testing and turned out positive for H1N1 virus that causes swine flu.
Civil surgeon Dr Adarshpal Kaur said both patients were under treatment at a private hospital. She said health department teams had been alerted and all private hospitals had been directed to notify any patient being admitted to the hospital with flu symptoms.
Symptoms of swine flu include sudden high fever, dry persistent cough, lingering headache, weakness, pain in muscles and bones, joint pain, limb pain, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, vomiting, sore throat, running or blocked nose, unremitting sneezes, disturbed sleep and loss of appetite.
The infection spreads between humans through droplets from the cough or sneeze of an infected person, or by touching an object they recently touched, and then touching the eyes, mouth or nose. “Elderly, children below five years of age, people suffering from chronic ailments, such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes, are among the vulnerable groups. Hence, precautions, such as regular hand washing and wearing of masks should be taken,” Dr Kaur said.
{{/usCountry}}The infection spreads between humans through droplets from the cough or sneeze of an infected person, or by touching an object they recently touched, and then touching the eyes, mouth or nose. “Elderly, children below five years of age, people suffering from chronic ailments, such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes, are among the vulnerable groups. Hence, precautions, such as regular hand washing and wearing of masks should be taken,” Dr Kaur said.
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