Swine Flu in Andhra Pradesh is Not as Intense as in 2009

Positive cases of swine flu continue to increase with a rough estimate of 200 in Hyderabad with a death toll of 32 in January.

Provincial Minister for Information and Public Relations, Palle Raghunatha Reddy said, "In Andhra Pradesh, the viral disease swine flu has extended all over the 13 districts of the state, of which 49 cases were reported. Around 26 cases are positive and two deaths have occurred. In order to prevent all these disease we are taking many steps."

At Gandhi Hospital, two women, one 50-year-old and another woman aged 80 died due to complications arising out of swine flu, health authorities confirmed.

Senior doctors said that the outpatient wings of Gandhi Hospital and Osmania Government Hospital are packed with patients from upper respiratory ailments. At present, over 35 swine flu patients admitted at Gandhi Hospital are under treatment.

The official spokesman for swine flu and Director of Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. Narendranath told that 22 out of 57 swab samples tested on Tuesday also reported positive.

The epidemic is not as intense as in 2009 with 10 percent death of critically ill patients. Dr. Narendranath said the percentage now had not even crossed 3.64 percent.

There was no shortage of drugs as they were stocked in adequate quantity in all hospitals. The buffer stock in Hyderabad was also augmented.

The Central government had despatched the testing kits that were requisitioned by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

Another testing machine was getting ready at Fever Hospital. Each machine could handle 180 samples a day but they were loaded with not more than 150 a day. Dr.Narendranath attributed the check on swine flu to the preventive steps taken by the government.

Source: Medindia