Swine flu - some dos and don'ts

Do not shake hands or hug in greeting and avoid crowded places, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said Thursday as it raised the alert for swine flu to Phase 5 - the second highest level - for the infection which has left over 150 people dead in the western world The health organisation also said it is safe to eat well-cooked pork

No suspected case of swine flu in India: Govt

WHO appealed to the people across the world to follow a few precautions

DOs

Wash your hands

Avoid crowded places

Stay more than one arm's length distance from persons sick with flu

Get plenty of sleep

Drink plenty of water and eat nutritious food

DO NOTs

Shake hands or hug in greeting

Spit in public

Take medicines without consulting a physician

If you are sick, PLEASE

Stay home and limit contact with others as much as possible

Rest and take plenty of liquids

Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze

Seek medical advice if needed

WHO said it is safe to eat well-cooked pork

Influenza H1N1 List of State Nodal Officers and contact details of Control Room

Influenza H1N1
List of State Nodal Officers and contact details of Control Room

STATE CONTROL ROOM (ADD. & CONTACT) NODAL OFFICER
ANDHRA PRADESH Office of The Addl. Director (Health Services), Hyderabad.
040-24656852(T) [24x7] Dr Ramswarup
[09989923781]
ARUNACHAL PRADESH SSU IDSP, Directorate of Health Services, Naharlagun, Arunachal Pradesh.
Tel: 0360-2245460
Telefax:: 0360-2244271
(During office hours) Dr.L.Jampa
[09436055743]
[24x7]
ASSAM Office of the Director (Health Services), Guwahati.
0361-2235577
0361-2261630
0361-2261089
[24x7] Dr Doley
0361-2642008
09854066560
BIHAR Office of the Executive Director,
State Health Society, Sheikhpura, Patna.
0612-2280562
0612-2281232
0612-2290322(F)
[24x7] Mr. Santosh Mathew (IAS)
Dr D K Gupta (Addl.Nodal officer)- 09430057795
Control Room In-charge (Dr BK Singh: 9470003023)
CHHATISHGARH State Surveillance Unit (IDSP),
Directorate Health services,
Old Nurses Hostel, DKS Mantralya
Campus,Raipur
0771-2220011
[24x7] Dr T K Agarwal (Deputy Director, Epidemic)-Nodal officer: 09926624162
Dr S N M Murti (Addl.N.O)
09425564418
GUJARAT Office of Dy.Director (Epid)
Commisionerate of Health Services Block No:5, Dr.Jivaraj Mehta Bhawan, Old Sachivalaya , Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Tel: 079-23253334
Fax: 079-23250818
[24X7] Dr.S.J.Gandhi
[09825342899]

GOA Call Centre: 0832- 2458458
[24X7] Dr.Tamba (09822123801)
HIMACHAL PRADESH IDSP Cell, Directorate of Health Services, Kasumti, Shimla-9
Tel/Fax: 0177-2628046
[ during office hours] Dr.Vinod Mehta(09418163500)
[24x7]
HARYANA Office of the Director (Health Services),Sector-6, Panchkula
0172-2587346
[During office hours] Dr.Aparajita Sondh (Nodal Officer)
09417931024
[24x7]
JAMMU-KASHMIR Office of DHS, Srinagar, J& K
Tel/Fax. No (0194) 2452697 (main)
2452052,2454706,2430141
(24x7)
Dr.M.Ahmed (09419012355)
Dr.Bashir Ahmed Dar (Addl.N.O) (09419017716)

JHARKHAND RIMS, RANCHI
Chamber of Dr. A. K. Mathur (HOD Medicine)
(09431176496)
(RIMS acting as Control Room) Dr C.B Sharma (094311740820
Dr.Pradeep Baski
(09431102461)
KERALA Office of Addl.DHS (Public Health),
Near Govt. General Hospital Trivandrum
TF:(0471) 2466828
[24X7]
Dr. Amar
09447451846
DR. SHAUKAT ALI (Joint Director,NICD)-09447702444
Dr K K Mohammad-09447327569
KARNATAKA Office of the Director (Health and Family Welfare),Anand Rao Circle, Bangalore-9
Phone no: 080-1056
[24X7] Dr.Chelluraj
09901060584
Dr.Vasudev Murthi
09880024329

MAHARASHTRA
Mumbai Room no.137,First Floor,
Swasthaya Bhawan,Mumbai.
022-22029070
022-22025830
[24X7] Dr. Gawande
(09420711426)
Dr Awate-09423337556
Pune Office of the Joint Director (Health Services), Central Building , Pune
020-26124299
[24X7]
Dr. Desai-09822429266
Dr. Suresh Bohatre
09881364656

MEGHALAYA Office of DHS, Medical Institutions
Nokrek Bldg. 3rd Secretariat,
Shillong, Meghalaya TF:(0364)2506498
[Office hour only]

Control room no 0364-2505842
Civil hospital
Shilling
[24x7]
Dr.R.R.Lanong,
(09436102763)

MANIPUR Medical Directorate, Office of DHS, Manipur
Room no-23
Lamphelpat
Manipur-795004
0385-2411668
(9am-6pm) Dr Bhubon Chandra
[09436021607]
MADHYA PRADESH State Surveillance Unit, Directorate Health Services, Satpura Bhavan, Bhopal
0755-4094192(TF)
[Office hours only] Dr. B N Chauhan
09826282249
MIZORAM Civil hospital
Aizwal
0389-2322318
102 Dr Sangawalar
0389-2313721
NAGALAND SSU IDSP, Directorate of Health Services& FW, T.R .Hill, KOHIMA-797001.
Tel:(0370)2245016
[Office hours only] Dr.Kebichusa
(09436000463)
[24x7]
ORISSA State Surveillance Unit, Director of Health Services, Heads of the Department Buildings, Bhubaneshwar.
0674-2390466 (TF)
[24x7] Dr. V. Patnaik
0674-2390466
PUNJAB Pariwar Kalyan Bhawan,
Sector-34A, Chandigarh.
Tel:(0172) 2621506
Dr. Deepak Bhatia
09814302403 [24x7]
0172-2621506(0)/0172-2620234(Fax)
RAJASTHAN Office of the Director (Public Health), Swasthaya Bhawan, Jaipur.
0141-2225624
0141-2224831(F)
[ Mr. R K Meena ,IAS, Principal Sect.(Health)- Nodal Officer

Dr. O P Gupta(Addl.Nodal Officer)-0141-2229858 09829333936
SIKKIM SSU IDSP, Health & F.W.
Govt. of Sikkim
03592-204199
[Office hours only] Dr.Y.D.Chingappa
(09832079576)
Tel:(03592)204199
TRIPURA DHS building
PN Building
Gurkha Basti
Agartala
Tel/Fax:(0381) 2215879 Dr P Chatterjee (09436120711)
Dr.R.K. Dhar
(09436137652)

TAMILNADU Office of the Director (Public Health &Preventive Medicine),
Central Malaria Laboratory,
359,Annasalai,Chennai-6

044-24321569 (TF)
[24X7] DR. Elango, DHS,
(09940610123)
UTTARAKHAND Office of DHS, IDSP,
107,Chander Nagar, Dehradun
TF: 0135-2721792
0135-2729897
[Office Hours only] Dr.Pankaj Jain(09412969502)
[24x7]
UTTAR PRADESH Swasthaya Bhawan,Luknow
Control Room No-Tel:(0522)2616482
Fax:(0522)2622819
[24X7]
Dr Pyaremohan Srivastava
0522-2629106(TF)
(09415181629)
WEST BENGAL Chamber of Joint Director (Health Services), Swasthaya Bhawan,
Sector-5,GN Block, Kolkata-91
(033)-23571192
[ 10 am to 7 pm on working days]
[11 am to 4:30 pm on Saturday and Holidays] Dr.Bhaskar Bhattacharya,
Jt.DHS
033-23330180
(09831187818)
ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR G.B.Pant Hospital, Port Blair
Tel:03192-230622,233473 Dr.Abhijit Roy,Dy.Director (H) (09474269315)
T/F: (03192-232797)
CHANDIGARH Govt. Multispecialty Hospital,
Sector-16, Chandigarh.
Call Centre:102
Tel:(0172) 2700255 Mr. H.C. Gera
(09988212139)
(0172)-2740408
DADRA AND NAGAR HAVELI Office of DHS, Silvassa.
T/F (0260)2642061,2641759

CONTROL ROOM NO- 0260-2642120 Dr.L.M.Patra DHS
(09426117593)
DAMAN AND DIU CHC, Daman.
Tel:(0260)2230080
Fax:(0260)2230570
[24x7] Dr.B.Hansraj (Daman)
(09825142600)
Dr.Das (Silvassa)
Tel:0260-2642961,26422120
DELHI DHS Office
Tel:22307145
(24X7) Dr.R.P.Vashist
(09212222456)/22305657(O),23646049(O),23646173(F)
LAKSHADWEEP Office of DHS,
Tel:(04896)262316
[Office hours only]

Dr.K P Hamza Koya (DHS)-Nodal officer(09496429027,04896-262113)
04896-262089,04896-262209(F)
Dr K. Attakoya (Addl.Nodal officer)-04896-262109,262317
PUDUCHERRY Call Centre:(24X7)
Tel: (0413)1070
(0413)1077 Dr.G.S.Naidu (09443729783)

Tel:(0413)2249357

List of Influenza A H1N1 affected countries as on 16.6.2009

S.No Name of the Country
1. Argentina
2. Australia
3. Austria
4. Bahamas
5. Bahrain
6. Barbados
7. Belgium
8. Bolivia
9. Brazil
10. Bulgaria
11. Canada
12. Cayman Islands, UKOT
13. Chile
14. China
15. Colombia
16. Costa Rica
17. Cuba
18. Cyprus
19. Czech Republic
20. Denmark
21. Dominica
22. Dominican Republic
23. Ecuador
24. Egypt
25. El Salvador
26. Estonia
27. Finland
28. France
29. Germany
30. Greece
31. Guatemala
32. Honduras
33. Hungary
34. Iceland
35. India
36. Ireland
37. Israel
38. Italy
39. Jamaica
40. Japan
41. Korea, Republic of
42. Kuwait
43. Lebanon
44. Luxembourg
45. Malaysia
46. Mexico
47. Netherlands
48. New Zealand
49. Nicaragua
50. Norway
51. Panama
52. Paraguay
53. Peru
54. Philippines
55. Poland
56. Portugal
57. Romania
58. Russia
59. Saudi Arabia
60. Singapore
61. Slovakia
62. Spain
63. Sweden
64. Switzerland
65. Thailand
66. Trinidad and Tobago
67. Turkey
68. Ukraine
69. United Arab Emirates
70. United Kingdom
71. United States of America
72. Uruguay
73. Venezuela
74. Viet Nam
75. West Bank and Gaza Strip

GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOLS/COLLEGES/INSTITUTIONS ON INFLUENZA A/H1N1

There have been some cases of Influenza A H1N1 virus among students and staff in certain schools, primarily in Delhi and Maharashtra. There has been considerable speculation over the need for closure of schools to control the outbreak. This matter has been considered by the Joint Monitoring Group in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. All schools and colleges are advised to observe the following guidelines for managing cases of infection of Influenza AH1N1.

(i) Any student or staff member showing flu like symptoms such as fever, cough, running nose and difficulty in breathing should be allowed to stay at home for a period of 7 to 10 days.

(ii) Educational institutions should not insist on production of medical certificate by the student/staff.

(iii) Educational institutions should monitor the health status of such students/staff who might have come in contact with a suspected case of Influenza AH1N1 to see whether they develop flu like symptoms. In case they do so, they should be allowed to stay home, as outlined at (i) above

(iv) In case of students staying in Hostels, the educational institutions would not only monitor the health status of the students, but also that of care providers. It has to be ensured that the care providers wear face mask and wash hands regularly. It might not be advisable to send the boarders back to home, as it would spread infection further.

(v) Educational institutions are further encouraged to report such cases to local health officers for further monitoring.

(vi) Given the current magnitude of the spread of AH1N1 infection and the fact that the current virus is fairly mild, closure of educational institutions on account of any student/staff member falling ill with flu like symptoms is not recommended.

(vii) In the first place, the schools should discourage the excursions of the students to the affected countries.

(viii) In case if the students had proceeded to affected countries on unavoidable tours, then on their return, if some students show flu like symptoms of fever, sore- throat , cough , body ache, running nose, difficulty breathing etc. they should be advised to abstain from attending school and be allowed to stay at home for a period of 7 to 10 days.

Guidelines for testing, Home isolation and treatment

Revised Guidelines for testing of persons with flu like symptoms reporting at hospitals notified for influenza H1N1

So far, the present guidelines stipulate that a person suspected of influenza A H1N1 need to be referred to an identified govt. health facility. He/she needs to be kept in an isolation facility in that hospital and if found positive, is treated accordingly.

In order to make the testing facility for H1N1 more accessible at large and due to the onset of the Influenza season in the country, it has been decided to revise the existing guidelines.

Under the new guidelines, any person with flu like symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, cold, running nose etc. should go to a designated Government facility for giving his/her sample for testing for the H1N1 virus. After clinical assessment, the designated medical officer would decide on the need for testing. Except for cases that are severe, the patient would be allowed to go home (This was not allowed under the existing guidelines).

The sample of the suspect case would be collected and sent to the notified laboratory for testing. If tested as positive for H1N1 and in case the symptoms are mild, the patient would be informed and given the option of admission into the hospital or isolation and treatment at his own home.

In case the patient opts for home isolation and treatment, he/she would be provided with detailed guidelines / safety measures to be strictly adhered to by the entire household of the patient. He/ she would have to provide full contact details of his entire household. The house hold and social contacts would be provided with the preventive treatment.

Notwithstanding the above guidelines, the decision of the doctor of the notified hospital about admitting the patient would be final.

In case the test is negative, the patient will accordingly be informed.

These guidelines have been issued by the Government in public interest and shall be reviewed from time to time depending on the spread of the pandemic and its severity in the country. These guidelines would however not apply to passengers who are identified through screening at the points of entry. The existing policy of isolating passengers with flu like symptoms would continue.

List of govt hospitals authorised to treat swine flu In India

In the wake of threat posed by the A (HINI) influenza, the government has authorised a number of hospitals across the country to test and treat cases of swine flu:

All India Institute of Medical Sciences -- Ansari Nagar, Aurobindo Marg Ring Road, New Delhi [ Images ] - 29

Phone: (011) 26594404, 26861698 Professor R C Deka – 9868397464.

National Institute for Communicable Diseases, 22, Sham Nath Marg, New Delhi - 54

Phone: (011) 23971272/060/344/524/449/326.

Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi - 01

Phone: (011) 23741640, 23741649, 23741639, Dr N K Chaturvedi – 9811101704.

Vallabhai Patel Chest Institute University, Enclave, New Delhi- 07

Phone: (011) 27667102, 27667441, 27667667, 27666182

Kasturba Gandhi [ Images ] Hospital, Arthur Road, N M Joshi Marg, Jacob Circle, Mumbai [ Images ] - 11

Phone: (022) 23083901, 23092458, 23004512

Sir J J Hospital, J J Marg, Byculla, Mumbai - 08

Phone: (022) 23735555, 23739031, 23760943, 23768400 / 23731144 / 5555 / 23701393 / 1366

Haffkine Institute, Acharya Donde Marg, Parel, Mumbai - 12

Phone: (022) 24160947, 24160961, 24160962

ID Hospital, 57,Beliaghata, Beliaghata Road, Kolkata [ Images ] - 10

Phone: (033) 23701252

Victoria Hospital, K R Market, Kalasipalayam, Bangalore - 02

Phone: (080) 26703294 Dr. Gangadhar - 94480-49863

SDS Tuberculosis & Rajiv Gandhi [ Images ] Institute of Chest Diseases, Hosur Road, Hombegowda Nagar, Bangalore - 29

Phone: (080) 26631923 Dr. Shivaraj - 99801-48780.

Chennai King Institute of Preventive Medicine (24/7 Service) Guindy, Chennai – 32

Phone: (044) 22501520, 22501521 & 22501522

Communicable Diseases Hospital Thondiarpet, Chennai

Phone: (044) 25912686/87/88, 9444459543

Government General Hospital, Opp Central Railway Station, Chennai – 03

Phone: (044) 25305000, 25305723, 25305721, 25330300

Hospital Nr Le''Meridian, Raja Bahadur Mill, GPO, Pune - 01

Phone: (020) 26058243

National Institute of Virology, 20A Ambedkar Road, Pune - 11

Phone: (020) 26006290

Government Medical College, Gandhi Nagar P O, Kottayam - 08

Phone: (0481) 2597311,2597312

Government Medical College, Vandanam P O, Allapuzha - 05

Phone: (0477) 2282015

Taluk Hospital, Railway Station Road, Alwaye, Ernakulam

Phone: (0484) 2624040 Sathyajit – 09847840051,

Taluk Hospital, Perumbavoor PO, Ernakulam 542

Phone: (0484) 2523138, Vipin - 09447305200

Government General Hospital, near Railway Station, Trichy Road, Coimbatore - 18

Phone: (0422) 2301393, 2301394, 2301395, 2301396

Govt General and Chest Diseases Hospital, Erragadda, Hyderabad

Phone: (040) 23814939

13 swine flu deaths take India's toll to 277

Thirteen swine flu deaths, including five in Andhra Pradesh, took the toll in the country Thursday due to Influenza A (H1N1) to 277, health officials said here.

Meanwhile, as many as 283 fresh swine flu cases were recorded in the country, taking the total number of positive cases to 8,979.

Four deaths were reported from Maharashtra - Pune, Nashik, Mumbai and Nagpur -- while three deaths occurred in Karnataka - two in Bangalore and one in Updupi.

Two deaths were reported from Hyderabad Thursday. Three deaths had occurred earlier in Andhra Pradesh, but the laboratory reports came in Thursday. One death took place in Uttarakhand, taking the state's toll to two.

So far, 28 people have died in Andhra Pradesh since the outbreak of the flu in the country in May 16.

In Maharashtra, which tops the chart for the maximum number of deaths and cases in the country, as many as 112 people have succumbed to the contagious virus and 2,574 have been affected.

Karnataka's toll has reached 85 - the second highest in the country.

The senior wing of Delhi Public School (DPS) at Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, was closed Thursday after two students tested positive for the influenza.

Two days back, the school had closed its junior wing following two children being detected with the virus.

The school will remain closed till Sep 28.

'Four students have been reported infected. We have closed down as a precautionary measure. All infected students are from the primary section. All these students are under treatment and belong to Mayur Vihar, Preet Vihar, Vikas Marg and Vishwas Nagar area of Shahdara,' school principal Meeta Rai said.

'We have undertaken every possible measure to deal with the situation,' she added. The school has around 5,300 students from Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad.

The national capital Thursday reported 113 fresh cases of swine flu with the majority of them being children, Delhi Health Minister Kiran Walia said.

'Of the 113 swine flu cases, 65 are children and all of them have been quarantined,' she said.

Walia said that till Thursday, 2,275 cases were admitted and treated in designated government hospitals and of these 90 percent have been discharged. Delhi has so far reported nine swine flu deaths.

'The situation is under control and the government is doing its best in providing treatment to H1N1 patients. I advise people to visit the doctor at the earliest if any symptom of swine flu appears,' she said.

As the H1N1 virus continued to spread, Delhi Mayor Kanwar Sain said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) would evaluate its response to checking the swine flu outbreak in the capital.

'Swine flu, other than causing loss of human lives, should give us reason to sit down and evaluate the efficacy and style of our responses,' Sain said as he addressed a convention organised by Health Essayists and Authors League (HEAL) here.

Fresh cases were also reported from Andhra Pradesh (43), Karnataka (22), Tamil Nadu (34), Maharashtra (35), Haryana (25) and Gujarat (2).