Bhubaneswar: Worried over spread of deadly swine flu in tribal dominated areas, the Odisha government on Sunday stepped up vigil and directed all district authorities to take preventive steps.

In order to enable accredited social health activists and anganwadi workers to take part in the drive against H1N1 influenza, instruction was given for organizing training programme for them at district level, official sources said.

The move came in the wake of some tribal school girls testing positive at Jampalli and Tulalaga in Sundargarh district.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who reviewed the situation yesterday, has asked health officials to ensure effective surveillance in border areas and prevent H1N1 virus carriers from entering the state.

The state government has already asked the Centre to supply liquid form of Tamiflu for treatment of children.

Cuttack: The swab report of Subashish Singh, resident doctor at SCB medical in Cuttack has tested negative.This was informed by the authorities of Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) on Monday.

Singh, was kept in the isolation ward of SCB after he showed swine flu symptoms on Saturday evening. However, the tests at RMRC have found that Singh is free from the H1N1 virus.

On the other hand, swab and other samples of four other students of Jamapalli girls high school in Sundargarh district have been sent to Bhubaneswar for tests. Earlier, two girls from the same school were tested positive for swine flu, thereby creating a panic in the region on Sunday.

Dr. Gopinath Mahalick, director of state health services on Monday said that the students who had moved out of the school are being administered contact treatment. However, at present 20 students out of 200 who complained of fever and cold are still undergoing treatment at hospital.

Following the reports that two students being afflicted with the HINI, the state government directed all school authorities through district collectors to remain alert to the situation. However, how the girls contracted the virus as they do not have a travel history is yet to be ascertained.

Two doctors and a nurse of SCB Medical College and Hospital were granted a week’s leave on Thursday after they showed swine flu
symptoms. Hospital authorities sent them home after collecting samples for swab test.

SCB casualty officer BN Moharana said throat and nasal swabs of the two doctors and nurse have been sent to Kolkata for tests. “The doctors from pulmonary and radiology departments and the nurse were treating swine flu patients,” added the officer. All of them, Moharana said, have undergone anti-viral treatment as a precautionary measure.

As the news spread, panic gripped the state’s premier hospital. The out-patient department (OPD) wore a thin look. The location of the isolation ward near the casualty wing on the first floor must have prompted them to stay away. At present, two H1N1 positive patients are being treated at the hospital.

On an average, the hospital gets 2,000 patients a day. While emergency patients first report to the casualty wing, others are directed to outdoor units of different departments for check-up.

“The casualty ward is always crowded since critical patients are always accompanied by attendants. That the isolation ward is close to the isolation ward must have raised people’s fear,” said Piyush Sahoo, a patient.

Pramod Mohanty, a businessman, added, “I didn’t want to take any risk. The moment I came to know about the development, I took my brother to a private hospital.”

Doctors at the hospital admitted that flow of patients to outdoor units dropped drastically during the day. “Apart from some poor people, who cannot afford treatment in private hospitals, a few critical patients turned up,” said a doctor.

“There’s nothing to panic. Emergency patients are coming to the hospital,” Maharana added.

Hospital authorities are under pressure to shift the isolation ward to a place away from the general ward. But nothing has been done so far.

“No matter how loudly you say there isn’t much to worry about, it’s not easy to shed the fear factor. The hospital authorities must act accordingly,” said Sashi Bhushan Das.