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Adequate measures in place to control spread of virus

FARZANA SYED. Dated: 11/21/2017 12:05:46 PM

SRINAGAR, Nov 20: While seven deaths have occurred in Kashmir valley due to swine flu so far, the doctors are of the opinion that there were likely chances of the spread of H1N1 virus owing to the cold weather conditions prevalent in Kashmir.
According to the doctors at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), around 25 patients were tested positive for the virus among whom many are receiving treatment in the hospital at present.
"We received 25 cases of swine flu as of now. Few cases have been of acute influenza only and the patients were discharged. Among the patients who tested positive for the virus 17 patients are receiving treatment some of them have already been discharged from the hospital," a senior doctor at SKIMS Hospital revealed.
"In the cases of deaths that have occurred due to H1N1 flue, the patients suffered many other acute infections that fostered the easy H1N1 infection among them," he said.
While at least 5 doctors were reported to have tested positive for the virus, the Directorate of Health Services revealed that the staff in SKIMS and other hospitals were already given vaccination.
He said all adequate protective measures, which included vaccines, preventive masks, were being made available to ensure protection against the deadly disease.
The doctors said that in cold season people were more vulnerable to the virus however adequate precautionary measures would help in minimising the spread of virus.
The doctors at SKIMS Hospital revealed that the cold season provided an appropriate atmosphere for the easy and fast growth of the virus. However if preventive measures were taken into consideration the spread of the virus could be controlled to a huge extent.
Pertinently, seven persons have lost their lives in Kashmir due to H1N1 flu.
In 2015 the deadly outbreak of H1N1 had claimed over a dozen lives in Kashmir valley. This year valley has witnessed seven swine flu deaths so far. The health experts have already issued a health advisory in this regard.
According to medicos H1N1 vaccine could provide 90 percent protection against the virus while it may take at least three weeks for the H1N1 vaccine to get activated inside a person's body.
From the month of October health experts had issued an advisory as the cases of swine flu were reported in Kashmir. After the deaths due to virus, the directorate of health services and doctors associations had been issuing alerts to fight the spread of the deadly virus.
"Around 300 vaccines have been purchased by the Institute so far and the staff who are more vulnerable to the infection, have been given vaccination. The institute has ordered more vaccines," doctors at SKIMS said.
The medicos at SMHS hospital said that apart from vaccines, the protective masks are also being made available at different hospitals of the valley.