CHENNAI: Allaying fears that the spread of dengue and swine flu was not under control in the state, Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar today appealed to the public that there was no need to be panic.
Observing that seven research centres, including the King Institute in Guindy, and JIPMER Hospital in Puducherry, have been set up by the Government, he said 13 private centres were also certified by the government to undertake tests.
"A special ward to treat patients affected by swine flu has been setup in hospital in Tondiarpet here and at all district hospitals", he said in a statement after chairing a meeting with senior government officials.
The government has set up 24-hour call centre that would provide medical advice to people, he said, adding District Collectors have been directed to take action against those pharmacies which give medicines without any prescription.
"It has also been decided to conduct awareness camps on the disease at the airport, railway stations", he said.
The World Health Organisation has described that swine flu was a "seasonal influenza" and the chances of getting it affected was more among those people who were diabetic and to infants and pregnant women, he said.