Delhi hit by swine flu outbreak, over 1,000 cases reported in a month

One death due to swine flu and 124 fresh cases of Influenza A (H1N1) was Tuesday recorded in Delhi, taking the total number of people affected by the disease in the city this year to 1019, according to a report. The city had recorded 895 positive cases of swine flu till Monday, which included 712 adults and 183 children, the latest report by the city's Directorate General of Health Services said.

As many as 104 fresh cases of adults, 20 of children and one death was recorded on Tuesday, it said. Till Monday, Delhi government had not recorded any death due to swine flu. However, two Centre-run hospitals here have reported 13 deaths due to swine flu this year. According to senior officials at Safdarjung Hospital, three deaths due to swine flu have been recorded this season, while RML Hospital has reported 10 fatalities.

Nine of the 10 people who died at RML Hospital were from Delhi, and the other one was from outside the city, officials said. After holding a state-level review meeting on Influenza A (H1N1), the Delhi government recently said that all government hospitals in the city are equipped with necessary logistics required for the management of the disease and drug Oseltamivir along with personal protective equipment (PPE kits) and N95 masks are also available.

Recent guidelines from the Union Health Ministry on case diagnosis, management, vaccination, isolation criteria, risk categorisation and preventive measures have been circulated among all hospitals and health facilities.

"All hospitals have been asked to keep ventilators ready, and also told to disseminate information on the prevention of the disease," the Delhi health department official said.

Health advisories, in English and Hindi, on seasonal Influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) have been prepared and issued for general public in leading newspapers.

Patients with co-morbid condition like low immunity, on immune-suppressant, blood cancer, renal transplant, diabetes, heart disease are at high risk of getting infected with swine flu.

For any query on swine flu, people can seek assistance on the 24X7 helpline number at DGHS (HQ): 011-22300012, 22307145.