Has the dreaded
swine flu virus lost its steam? Yes, the Andhra Pradesh Government Chest
Hospital doctors confirmed that the virus has almost disappeared with
no single positive case being reported from the twin cities and the
other places in the state for the last two months. Dr. S V
Prasad, superintendent of the hospital, said the fatal flu, which killed
few and hospitalised many, might not have such bad impact in the near
future.Besides, the World Health Organisation (WHO) also declared
it officially, that the fatal disease lost its steam and that no
positive cases were enrolled since August 11. But it should not mean
the virus has vanished completely. It will continue to cause infections
some of which may still be serious.“Despite the night
temperatures plummeting to 9 degree Centigrade and diurnal temperatures
being recorded at 15 degree Celsius in the twin cities and in other
parts of the state, there was no single positive case reported in the
chilly weather for the last two months. The virus must have been
eliminated in the primary stages itself as patients might have
approached doctors even on having slight fever, cold and cough,” he
explained.He said that the state was no longer in phase III of influenza pandemic alert. But the virus can cause mild infections, he said.He
said that a few patients suffering from pneumonia, fever, cough and
cold due to the onset of winter were admitted to the chest hospital. “We
took their samples suspecting swine flu and the test results were
negative. These reports reveal that there will be no major threat of
swine flu in the near future,’’ he hoped. The first swine flu
case in India was detected at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport
(RGIA) in the city on May 16, 2009. Since then, as many as 54 people,
including 10 pregnant women, died due to it of the total 800 cases
reported from the state. In 2010, at least 30 deaths were reported and over 188 positive cases of flu were reported from the state.
By Mouli Mareedu
moulimareedu@gmail.com
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