Maharashtra Government Told to Map Swine Flu Patients

Against the backdrop of swine flu scare, the Union health ministry has asked Maharashtra government to initiate an epidemiological mapping in the state. A central health team recently visited Nagpur city, which has seen the maximum number of deaths due to the virus in the state this year. The team recommended that state health authorities should immediately start epidemiological mapping – a system by which they should track every infected patient and follow up their cases.

Dr Abhay Chowdhary, director, Haffkine Institute, said: "Epidemiological mapping helps you understand the pattern of the disease and review the intervention measures taken when there is an outbreak, pandemic or epidemic. It also helps us understand how it started, when and why it spread and what led to the control."

The four member central team included Dr Ashok Kumar, additional director general, public health, Government of India, a microbiologist and two experts from the medicine department.

State Health Minister Dr Deepak Sawant said, "We had a detailed discussion with the central team. They reviewed the situation and emphasised on the need to have epidemiological mapping. We found this suggestion very important. Our health officials are on it." All the swine flu patients would be tracked along with the people who were in immediate contact with these patients, the minister added.



Source-Medindia