Indian gov't issues advisory to states on swine flu

The Indian government Tuesday said it has issued an advisory to all states to step up their preparedness to tackle swine flu.

"Government has issued advisory to all the State Governments and Union Territories to step up preparedness for H1N1 Influenza," an official statement issued by government quoted Indian Health Minister J P Nadda as having said.

Th advisory to states includes enhanced surveillance, capacity for laboratory diagnosis, setting up screening centers in outpatient departments of hospitals, earmarking isolation wards including ventilator beds.

Swine flu has claimed 34 lives in the past two months in India's northern state of Rajasthan. The health department officials in Rajasthan collected 2,000 samples across the state, out of which 162 people had tested positive.

The directive from federal government also includes stocking of personal protective equipments and to make drug Oseltamivir available, besides creating awareness among the public for early reporting to hospitals for treatment of infection.

Swine flu is a respiratory disease caused by a strain of the influenza type A virus, H1N1.

An outbreak of swine flu in various Indian states last year claimed over 700 lives. Endit