Also, the UT Health department has invoked the Epidemic Disease Act. The Director Health and Family Welfare, in-charge of the isolation wards at PGI, GMCH-32 and GMSH-16, and the Nodal Officer (swine flu) have been empowered to take necessary steps to ensure that all suspected cases are admitted in government hospitals, with the help of the police, if needed. Swine flu patients can also opt for home treatment in which they and their families need to follow detailed guidelines and safety measures. They would also have to provide full contact details of their entire household, and their social contacts would be given preventive treatment.

In the view of the upcoming festival season, an awareness campaign would be launched on the dos and don’ts. People have been advised not to visit crowded places like theatres, malls and picnic spots.

At present, the government hospitals are equipped to accommodate only 40 patients. An official said the capacity could be increased if there was a need.

Private hospital staff to be trained
The staff of Inscol and Mukut Hospital would be trained by the Director Health Services and given all medical equipment required for suspected and confirmed cases of swine flu.

The communication has been forwarded by the President Nursing Home (Private) Dr Kaushal. “After the formal communication, private hospitals would update facilities accordingly. These hospitals would provide isolation wards with trained staff,” Dr Kaushal said.

The State Surveillance Unit would collect samples from these hospitals and send them for testing to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in New Delhi.

‘Mohali ready to handle the situation’
An isolation ward and rapid response team of medical specialists have been set up and medicines, swabs and other items required for examination and treatment of swine flu have been sent to the District Civil Hospital in Phase VI, the District Health Officer (DHO) Dr S P Surila told Newsline.

Dr Surila, who is also the Nodal Officer for overseeing preparations in the Mohali district, has issued an advisory to the District Education Officers (secondary and elementary education) to identify students who recently visited abroad and send them for examination at the Phase VI hospital.

“Students with symptoms of cold, cough, fever and other allied ailments have been advised to report to us,” the DHO said.

According to Dr Surila, only two suspected cases of swine flu have been admitted in the hospital so far; both were tested negative. “We have enough beds, staff, medicines and equipment to examine and treat any number of swine flu cases,” the DHO said. Medical specialist Dr Manraj Singh and ENT specialist Dr Sandeep Bansal have been deputed to examine and treat all cases at the Civil Hospital.

Unlike Chandigarh and Haryana, Punjab has not yet invoked the Epidemic Disease Act, confirmed Dr Deepak Bhatia, the nodal officer to tackle swine flu in Punjab.

Isolation wards set up in Panchkula
The Epidemic Diseases Act has been invoked in Panchkula. Isolation wards have been set up at the General Hospital in Sector 6 and circular have been issued to all private hospitals to immediately inform the Health department of any swine flu case.

District Health Officer (DHO) Dr M L Garg said, “A three-member rapid action team has been formed. We are also distributing pamphlets and showing CDs through local cable network to create awareness.”

Panchkula DC Pankaj Yadav said if a student of any school tests positive, the concerned school will have to be shut down for at least a week. While the administration claimed that the Education department has been told to issue directions to schools to take all precautionary measures and report all suspected cases, the District Education Officer Nalani Mimani denied this.

Schools are taking precautions on their own. Gurukul School in Sector 20 has issued circular to parents to not send their wards to school if they are unwell.

HELPLINE NUMBERS
Panchkula
SMO Dr V K Bansal:9814615697
RMO Dr Mankiyat:9417525003DHO Dr M L Garh:9815609035Emergency:0172/2567228CMO Dr Kamla Singh:0172/2573907Chandigarh9914208215, 9914201075, 2740408, 2782457

15 new suspected cases
Around 15 suspected cases of swine flu were reported from the tricity on Tuesday. Of these, seven have been admitted in PGI, seven in GMCH and one in GMSH-16. The authorities have requested people not to panic, as all necessary steps were being taken to check the spread of the virus.

With more cases being reported from across the country, test reports are expected to get delayed. “Due to more samples being sent for testing in Delhi and Pune, the results would be delayed by around three to four days,” an official said.

Test reports of two suspected cases — one of them a 20-year-old Panchkula resident studying in Pune — are expected soon.

Panic fuels demand for masks
Panic among people has fuelled the demand for N-95 masks, resulting in their shortage in the tricity. “The N-95 masks are not available anywhere in the tricity. Even the order of 20,000 masks placed by the PGI is pending with distributors,” Vijay Anand, general secretary of the Chandigarh Chemists Association, said.