"While the previous confirmed 36 cases had travel or contact history, we have now found the virus in persons who have no history of travel and have not come into contact with a confirmed patient," Deputy Coordinator of the Avian Influenza Control Project Dr Jitendra Man Shrestha said.
Dr Shrestha said that random tests done on 46 common flu patients at Patan, Bir, Teaching and Kanti hospitals in the Valley showed that three of them had the virus. The trio has no travel or contact history with swine flu.
Similarly two more in the Valley including a foreigner, have been confirmed infected by the virus. Likewise, three out of six patients currently being treated for viral fever in Chitwan have also tested positive.
The strange viral fever, that has affected hundreds in Chitwan since August, has also claimed three lives. "We will try to trace the relatives of the three deceased and find out if they had shown symptoms of swine flu," Director of the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division Dr Garib Das Thakur said. Dr Thakur also said that additional samples will be brought from Chitwan on Friday.
Speaking at the conference, Health Secretary Dr Sudha Sharma said that the strategy of the government now has to be changed. "We will now focus in treatment and tracing of patients instead of scanning them at border checkpoints and airport," Sharma said. The health officials mobilized there will now be used in treatment.
Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr Margaret Chan on September 7 during her Nepal visit for a regional WHO conference advised the Nepal government to stop screening passengers for the virus saying it is very hard to detect the virus and most infected persons don´t even show the symptoms. Instead use the manpower for other diseases, she had said.
What Next?
The ministry has urged people to follow the preventive measures it had previously advised. It has also advised patients with basic flu symptoms to not panic and seek medical consultation only if they have difficulty in breathing and sore throat or if they also have difficulty in drinking and are pregnant.
The Minisry said that stock of tamiflu sufficient for treatment of 36,000 patients is available in Kathmandu while major hospitals outside the Valley also have enough stock to treat 200 patients each.
"Only the high risk groups like pregnant women, children, patients with other health conditions like respiratory disease, immunosuppression and diabetes will be given tamiflu," DR Shrestha said.
Secretary Dr Sharma said that the government will now discuss with private hospitals how they can help in controlling the disease. Dr Sharma also informed that WHO has agreed to provide vaccines for medics involved in the treatment process in the first stage in what is a major boost for health officials who may themselves have inherent fears about the disease.
Preventive Measures advised by the health ministry
- Cover mouth and nose with handkerchiefs while coughing and sneezing
- Reuse the materials used in covering mouth and nose only after properly washing and cleaning them
- Wash hands properly with soap after coughing and sneezing
- Refrain from taking hands unnecessarily to mouth, nose and eyes
- Refrain from shaking hands as greetings and do namaste instead
- Don´t travel unnecessarily and visit crowded places
Symptoms
- Fever, which is usually high, but unlike seasonal flu, may sometimes be absent
- Cough, runny nose or stuffy nose, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills
- Fatigue or tiredness
- Diarrhea and vomiting, sometimes, but more commonly seen than with seasonal flu
- Difficulty in respiration and pneumonia in serious cases
High Risk Groups
- Pregnant women
- People with chronic medical problems, such as chronic lung disease, like asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and immunosuppression
- Children and adults with obesity
premdhakal@myrepublica.com
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