THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after the state was put on high alert after the deadly H5N1 strain of virus was confirmed as the cause of the bird flu outbreak, the state government has taken steps to procure preventive medicines to tackle any outbreak of the fever. The government has placed orders for 50,000 Oseltamivir tablets and is in the process of placing tenders for three lakh more tablets.
The government has ensured personal protective kits for those engaged in culling activities. Already, 20,000 kits are available, Health Minister V S Sivakumar said after a review meeting here.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, Chief Secretary E K Bharat Bhushan, Health secretary K Elangovan, Animal Husbandry secretary Subrata Biswas were present. Sivakumar said all hospitals are well equipped to tackle any outbreak. A separate isolation ward with ventilator facility will be set up at the Thrissur Medical College, he said.