Chandigarh schools get special instructions to tackle swine flu

CHANDIGARH - The health department has issued special instructions to school managements here after positive cases of influenza A (H1N1) virus were detected among students of two leading schools.

Depending on the circumstances, the schools should reschedule the examinations. The principals will ensure that the results of examinations or other unit tests should not affect the students who do not appear in such exams because of flu like illness, Home-cum-Health Secretary Ram Niwas told IANS.

We also advised parents to remain more vigilant in sending their children to schools if they are having flu like symptoms. We have to enhance the surveillance of such cases effectively and break the cycle of infection,” he added.

So far, six students of Bhawan Vidhyalaya and Delhi Public School here have tested positive for swine flu and over a dozen suspected cases have been reported from these schools.

To control the infection of this highly contagious virus, both schools were closed a few days back for the autumn break.

Nearly 2,300 patients have been screened in Chandigarh hospitals, of which 212 were suspected cases and 29 were detected positive. Out of 29 H1N1 positive cases, 26 have been treated and completely cured and remaining three are undergoing treatment, nodal officer for swine flu H.C. Gera said.

However, no casualty due to swine flu has been reported here so far.

We have trained staff and got sufficient stocks of medicines and other equipment to tackle any emergency. There is no need to panic as situation in Chandigarh is well under control, Gera added.

In Chandigarh, wards for the treatment of swine flu patients have been established at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) and government hospitals in Sector 32 and 16.

Testing facility of suspected cases is available here at the virology department of PGIMER, which is also catering to the needs of other states like Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.