Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

Suspected swine flu case in Madurai; samples sent to NICD

MADURAI: The Health Department reported a suspected case of A(H1N1) influenza here on Friday.

Samples of an eight-year-old boy, who came from the United States on Thursday, have been sent to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), New Delhi, for confirmation.

The boy, who came from New Jersey along with his mother and two other children, complained of fever, cough and sore throat. He was taken to Vadamalayan Hospital here. On coming to know of the symptoms and travel history, the paediatrician referred him to Government Rajaji Hospital. According to S. M. Sivakumar, Dean in-charge, GRH, the boy’s family members preferred to stay at home. He had instructed them on the safety protocol/preventive care to be followed. “We advised the family (living in K. Pudur here) to keep the boy in a room separate from the common areas of the house till the medical test results come in.”

Dr. Sivakumar said said the clinical epidemiological data for A(H1N1) influenza along with the culture medium and throat swab samples had been sent to the NICD.

Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine S. Elango said the boy was allowed to be under “house quarantine” since children and infants could not stay in isolation wards of hospitals.

“The medical investigation results will come in 72 hours, and, if it is confirmed positive, the boy will be shifted to hospital,” Dr. Elango said. He said instructions had been given to the District Malaria Officer and the Deputy Director of Health Services to monitor the case.

The Director said so far no “indigenous” swine flu cases or suspected cases had been reported. All the cases originated from outside, mostly the US.

The GRH authorities had taken adequate measures to tackle any situation with regard to A(H1N1) flu. Isolation ward and treatment facilities were available, both for individual and mass cases, Dr. Sivakumar said.

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