Gurgaon: Two more test positive for swine flu in city

With two more cases of swine flu being detected in the city this city, the health department is on alert. This is the fourth case of swine flu that has been detected

With two more cases of swine flu being detected in the city this city, the health department is on alert. This is the fourth case of swine flu that has been detected in the city this year. However, only one of the four patients is from Gurgaon.

This is the fourth case of swine flu that has been detected in the city this year. However, only one of the four patients is a resident of Gurgaon city. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

The first case of swine flu int he city was reported on January 11 this year.

The people who tested positive for the H1N1 virus include a 45-year-old man from Farukhnagar, in Gurgaon district, and a 32-year-old man from Mahendragarh, which is about 100km from Gurgaon.

Both patients reported high fever, and difficulty in breathing when they came to the government hospital.

“These cases (of swine flu) are not from the city. We have alerted their respective areas about the condition of these patients,” principal medical officer at Civil Hospital, Gurgaon, Dr Pradeep Sharma said.

Doctors at the government hospital have warned that there may be a rise in the number of swine flu cases, among other viral infections, this year because of uncertain climatic condition.

“The sudden change in weather condition has increased the chances of people contracting more viral infection this year. We have been receiving more than 60 patients reporting respiratory unease and flu-like symptoms every day,” chief medical officer at Civil Hospital, Gurgaon, Dr BK Rajora said.

On January 17, a 43-year-old man died of swine flu at a private hospital in the city, the health department confirmed. The patient was a resident of Alwar in Rajasthan, and tested positive for the swine flu virus after which his family admitted him to a private hospital in the city.

Swine flu, also known as the H1N1 flu, is highly contagious and many deaths have been reported in the region from the virus recently.

Last year, eight cases of swine flu were reported, with no death. The last case of swine flu death was reported on March 2015 as per the official data by the health department.

In 2014, 37 cases of H1N1 were reported in Gurgaon with no deaths.

The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) guidelines suggest that swine flu is now in its post-pandemic stage and needs to be treated like any other form of seasonal influenza.

Swine flu dos and dont’s

Wash your hands properly and regularly

Use sanitisers, especially those that are alcohol based, for washing hands

Avoid crowded places in case the disease breaks out

If you feel any symptoms, stay at home and consult a doctor

Common symptoms

High fever

Sore throat, cough and cold

Breathlessness and tiredness

Headache

Loss of appetite, diarrhea or vomiting

When to go for the test?

If cough, cold and fever persist for more than three days along with breathlessness, visit a doctor. Also, stay away from people to avoid spread of infection.

How much time does it take to obtain reports?

The report is normally given in 24 hours.

In case of emergency cases, the report can be prepared in 5-6 hours.

What is the treatment available?

Doctors usually prescribe the antiviral drug, Tamiflu, to reduce the severity of symptoms.