Panic in Orissa as swine flu infects two more

BHUBANESWAR - Panic has gripped parts of Orissa with people seen wearing masks and rushing to hospitals for a checkup as two more people tested positive for swine flu Thursday.

“Two more cases have been tested positive,” Anu Garg, secretary of state health and family welfare department, told IANS. The latest cases have been reported from Sambalpur district and state capital Bhubaneswar respectively. The condition of the two is stated to be stable, she said.

The state government has alerted all the district authorities to remain alert and asked them to keep adequate stocks of medicines, Health and Family Welfare Minister Prasanna Acharya told IANS.

Schools and educational institutions have been told to avoid the morning assembly as part of the preventive measures, he said, adding that the throat swabs of at least 52 people were tested since July and 20 were positive.

Of them seven died, and of the remaining patients, three are undergoing treatment in hospital. He appealed to the people not to spread panic.

“We have launched an awareness campaign throughout the state using various mediums such as newspapers, television channels and SMS to make people aware of the situation,” Acharya said.