Health advisory for Games visitors issued

With less than a fortnight left for the October Games and the city still reeling under dengue and swine flu outbreak, the country on Friday issued a health advisory for participants and visitors coming for the event, asking them to take precaution, including carrying of full-sleeve clothes.

With less than a fortnight left for the October Games and the city still reeling under dengue and swine flu outbreak, the country on Friday issued a health advisory for participants and visitors coming for the event, asking them to take precaution, including carrying of full-sleeve clothes.

HT Image

However, the advisory issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare maintained that the influenza activity has now "peaked" in India and is showing "a declining trend".

Noting that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had announced that the H1N1 influenza pandemic has moved into post-pandemic stage while localised outbreaks of various magnitude are likely to continue, it said anyone who contracts pandemic flu during the Games will be given access, free of charge, to consultation, diagnosis and treatment in government-notified health facilities.

Advising them to look for symptoms such as fever, running nose, sore throat and difficulty in breathing, it said, "If suffering from fever while on flight, contact on arrival the Help Desk at the Indira Gandhi International Airport for assistance."

The advisory also asked the visitors to take precautions like covering of mouth and nose during coughing or sneezing, washing of hands with soap, avoiding touching the eyes, nose or mouth and avoiding crowded places.

As per reports, there have been nearly 2316 deaths due to H1N1 across the country since May last year.