State records 14 swine flu deaths this year

Number registers slight decrease from last year’s toll of 17, health department officials set up isolation wards

VIJAYAWADA:   According to official data, 14 swine flu deaths were recorded this year till November 17, across the State. The figure is slightly less than previous years’s toll of 17. The total number of H1N1 swine flu positive cases have also come down this year compared to 2018 from 402 to 325. Health officials are setting up isolation wards in hospitals as a preventive measure.

As the winter season has set in and the minimum temperatures are coming down, health officials are instructing the public to take precautions in order to stay away from being infected by swine flu. The Health department has initiated steps to set up district-wise swine flu testing facilities and isolation wards in every district hospital, area hospital and community health centre.

As per the requirement of treatment procedure, the government has to set up special isolation wards in all government hospitals and provide protection kits to the healthcare staff, especially to those, who will attend to the patients suffering from the flu.Across the State, Visakhapatnam registered the highest number of positive swine flu cases and deaths. Out of 325 positive cases, 180 alone were reported from Visakhapatnam, of which eight died. West Godavari district registered three deaths and Anantapur, East Godavari and Srikakulam registered one death case each. 

All the district health officials have been instructed to intensify awareness camps and screening centres. As part of the action plan, isolation wards with five to 10 beds are to be set up in every teaching, district and area hospital. Sufficient stock of drugs, masks and PPE kits are to be made available.Currently, there are 18 labs eligible of conducting confirmation test in the State. “We are creating awareness by distributing pamphlets and putting up screening centres at bus stops and railway stations,” DMHO Dr TSR Murthy said. 

Symptoms
Symptoms of swine flu are generally similar to that of seasonal flu. These include cough, fever, sore throat, stuffiness, runny nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, diarrhoea and vomiting. 
Later on, breathlessness, chest pain, drowsiness, low blood pressure, sputum mixed with blood, bluish discoloration of nails also develops

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