Health Department to take serum samples

KOCHI: Amidst apprehensions that H1N1 is spreading in the district, the Health Department authorities have decided to take serum samples from suspected patients in West Kochi. Of the 200 suspected cases around five percent is believed to be H1N1.The Health Department officials in the district will collect the serum samples on Wednesday and send to the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB). The authorities were forced to check the samples after fever and influenza cases from Fort Kochi have shot up within a few days. A team of health officials had visited the area to take stock of the situation. It was among the locals of the area that the disease was mostly found. The fever cases in the district are also on the rise. But the health authorities have made it clear that the situation is under control. “The average number of fever cases in Alappuzha is around 2,500 while it is 1,200 in the district,” District Medical Officer Dr Sudhakaran said.The authorities have already sent four serum samples of suspected H1N1 patients to RGCB. The officials said that they are waiting for the results. “As of now there isn’t too many H1N1 cases. The situation may change once the rain stops,” said Dr Hassena, Additional Medical Officer in charge of H1N1.The authorities of all the hospitals have been asked to take proper measures to check the spread of H1N1. Special arrangements, including ventilator facilities, have been put in place in more than a dozen hospitals in the district. Tamiflu and syrup for H1N1 patients and suspected patients have been provided to all the hospitals in the district. The private hospitals can get adequate quantity of Tamiflu from the nearest Taluk hospital. The private hospitals should also provide Tamiflu to the patients free of cost, Dr Haseena said. Ventilator facilities have been arranged in C A Hospital, Desam, Lakeshore Hospital, Medical Trust Hospital, Ernakulam, Lisie Hospital, Angamaly Little Flower Hospital, Indira Gandhi Cooperative Hospital, Cooperative Medical College, Kalamassery, Sanjoe Hospital, Perumbavoor, Nirmala Hospital, Muvattupuzha, Mar Baselious Hospital, Kothamangalam, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Ernakulam General Hospital.The authorities with the Health Department have asked those with symptoms like flu, cough and fever to seek medical advice.