Bihar to set up response teams to monitor swine flu

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has directed the health department to constitute district level rapid response teams to keep a watch on people afflicted with swine flu.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has directed the health department to constitute district level rapid response teams to keep a watch on people afflicted with swine flu.

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Kumar directed the officials to seek help from the Centre in procuring the passengers list of domestic fliers entering the state after visiting swine-flu infected countries.

Though there was no international flights either to Patna or Gaya, the government should be ready with check mechanism in case of international chartered flights landing at any of these two locations at a short notice, Kumar said after reviewing preparedness to deal with swine flu here yesterday.

The chief minister said such arrangements should also be made at important railway stations in the state.

He asked the officials to keep a tab on foreigners staying in hotels and anyone with symptoms of swine flu should report immediately to the civil surgeons.

Kumar said clinical and swab transportation protocols should be ensured not only at district level hospital but also upto the primary health centres.

Principal secretary, health, B P Sharma said all the medical colleges and district hospitals had been asked to keep ready isolation wards of 10 and five beds respectively.

Besides, infectious diseases hospitals in Gaya and Patna have been directed to keep isolations wards ready, Sharma said.