With 5 swine flu cases, city hits panic button

Pediatric OPDs are the busiest, says Dr Baldeep Singh of Deep Hospital. “More than 80 kids come each day with fever, cold, cough. Educated residents do ask about a swine flu test. However, only those are referred for tests whose symptoms are actually of swine flu.”

At present, the tests are being conducted only at PGI. The patient is required to be taken to Chandigarh to give samples as local hospitals don’t offer the facility of sample collection.

Further, one test costs the government Rs 10,000. Doctors, thus, need to examine patients carefully before referring them for a swine flu test, said district epidemiologist Dr Anil Verma.

He added, “We are making people aware as they panic after getting fever and other symptoms similar to swine flu.”

He added that one needs to take good care of their health by regularly washing hands before eating and maintaining a distance from a person with cough and cold. “Such simple precautions will help control the disease.”

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Among the common symptoms of swine flu are cough, sore throat, runny nose, difficulty in breathing, bodyache, headache, diarrhoea, vomiting and blood in sputum.