Saturday, May 16, 2009

First confirmed case of swine flu in India

NEW DELHI: The first case of swine flu in India was confirmed on Saturday. A man travelling from New York via Dubai and Delhi tested positive for the H1N1 influenza virus in Hyderabad. He has been administered tamiflu, the only anti-viral known to be effective against H1N1. Union health ministry officials said they were treating it as a "national emergency.

"He was shifted to the identified isolation facility under strict infection control. His samples have tested positive for influenza A (H1N1)," a health ministry statement issued here said.

"The office of the concerned airlines has been contacted to provide the list of passengers who travelled with him in close proximity. Information of such passengers would be provided to the WHO (World Health Organisation) and respective countries through the external affairs ministry," it said.

All passengers who travelled with the man on the flight are being tracked down. The man had reached Hyderabad from Dubai via Delhi on an Emirates flight on May 13.

The passengers are being advised to remain under home quarantine for a period of seven days and monitor themselves for symptoms like fever, cough and difficulty in breathing.

They are also being asked to provide their contact details to Indian authorities.

Source: THE TIMES OF INDIA

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