27 swine flu cases registered this month

Vijayawada: The government machinery was kept on alert following the registration of 27 swine flu cases across the State in October. All government hospitals were equipped with necessary medicines and special wards were set up.

Chief Secretary Anil Chandra Punetha and Special Chief Secretary of Medical and Health Department Poonam Malakondaiah held a teleconference with the District Collectors on Monday and asked them to create awareness among people about the swine flu.

“If anybody is suffering from fever, cough and cold for more than three days, they should be brought to the nearest hospital for further tests,” Poonam Malakaondaiah said. She said that the problem was rampant in the districts which are frequented by people from other States.

Swine flu testing centres would be established at main bus stations and railway stations all over the State, she added. Attention is focused on Vijayawada, Viskhapatnam and Chittoor cities which are frequented by people from other States and swine flu testing centres are established at the airports in all the three cities, she added.

So far, 39 swine flu cases were reported in the State since January, the Special Chief Secretary said and advised people not to go near the swine flu wards formed in the government hospitals.

As a precautionary measure, she advised people to take tamiflu tablets. Poonam Malakondaiah also warned people of the deadly Zika virus which was found in Rajasthan. “The Central government was serious about it and alerted people to be careful,” she added.