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Delhi CM calls emergency meet over H1N1 spread as 3,000 cases reported so far; health minister says 'under control'
Delhi health minister Pankaj Singh said that H1N1 isolation wards have been set up at hospitals and warned that action will be taken if patients are denied beds
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Delhi health minister Pankaj Singh said on Tuesday that the situation regarding H1N1 in the national capital was “under control”, with an adequate number of doctors and medicines available.
This comes as CM Rekha Gupta called an emergency meeting on H1N1 cases, with around 3,000 infections reported in Delhi.
Addressing a press conference, Singh said that H1N1 isolation wards have been set up at hospitals across the national capital and warned that action will be taken if patients are denied beds, news agency PTI reported. The presser followed a review meeting with senior officials of the Health Department, MCD, NDMC and Delhi Cantonment Board.
Deep Dive
"There is no need for panic. Patients are coming, but they are getting treated and then going back. Isolation wards have been created in every hospital. If any patient complains of not being provided a bed, action will be taken against the hospital," PTI quoted Singh as saying.
Asserting that the situation was under control with adequate doctors and medicines, Singh said Delhi has reported around 3,000 influenza cases this year, which included 2,308 H1N1 infections.
"There is no problem of doctors, staff or medicines. The chief minister has called an emergency review meeting. I assure you there is no problem, everything is under control," the minister said.
At 2,308 cases, H1N1 infections account for the vast majority of influenza cases reported in Delhi this year, while the remainder are due to other influenza strains.
H1N1 infection, commonly known as swine flu, usually presents with fever, cough, sore throat, headache, body aches and fatigue. Those with persistent high fever, breathing difficulty, chest pain, confusion or worsening symptoms are advised to seek medical attention promptly.
What experts say
As H1N1 cases rise in the national capital, doctors and health experts have pointed out that children, elderly people, pregnant women and those with chronic illnesses are the most vulnerable to severe infection.
"The rise in H1N1 cases has brought preventive vaccination back into the conversation," said Dr Bharat Gopal, senior director, respiratory and sleep medicine, Medanta Mediclinic, Defence Colony and Medanta-The Medicity, told PTI.
More people have been enquiring about seasonal influenza vaccination, particularly high-risk individuals and families with children or elderly members, he said.
Dr Bibhu Anand, physician at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said, "The swine flu test is easily available in almost all hospitals and diagnostic centres."
Testing at private hospitals generally costs between ₹1,500 and ₹5,000, while a full respiratory BioFire panel can cost between ₹9,000 and ₹15,000.
In government hospitals, the cost is "almost negligible," he said.
Dr Anand also said that multiplex PCR testing can be performed only in specialised laboratories, and that the decision to test should be based on the patient's symptoms, clinical presentation, and the treating physician's assessment.
Commonly reported symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, headache, body ache, chills, fatigue, runny nose and nasal congestion. Some patients, particularly children, may also experience nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea.
Doctors said most patients with uncomplicated influenza can be treated on an outpatient basis and do not require hospitalisation. Admission is generally considered when patients develop pneumonia, breathing difficulties, reduced oxygen saturation, persistent high fever or worsening of an existing medical condition.
Doctors have cautioned against self-medication, particularly the use of antibiotics without medical advice, and against delay, as influenza can progress to pneumonia and other respiratory complications in high-risk patients.
People must seek medical attention if they feel severe breathlessness, persistent chest pain, oxygen saturation below 94 per cent, confusion, bluish lips or fingertips, or fever that returns after initially improving, they said.
Doctors also recommended maintaining hand and respiratory hygiene, wearing masks in crowded places, avoiding close contact with infected people and staying home or isolating when unwell.
