Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Swine flu spreading across Bengal

Kolkata, Aug 18 : With the swine flu virus gradually spreading to rural Bengal, the total number of those infected has risen to 53, even as a high level meeting to combat it was in progress at the Writers' Buildings.Five new cases were reported from rural areas during the past 24 hours prompting the medics to prepare themselve to combat the pandemic, official sources said.

One case each was reported at Midnapur, Howrah and Nadia and two from North 24 Parganas.

A city high school today declared suspension of clases
till August 24 to keep at bay the pandemic despite suggestions from doctors not to do so. Doctors suggested rest of seven to 10 days if a pupil was found with symptoms of viral flu.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty called a special meeting on swine flu, the second such after a meeting last week, to take stock of the situation.

Health Secretary Samar Ghosh also attended the meeting in which many medics and administrators from private, army and railway hospitals were also taking part.

Last week, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee talked to the Chief Secretary to share his concern over the growing pandemic in the state, where there was no report of casualty so far.

The West Bengal Government was looking at every opportunity to open new clinics to fight the disease, official sources said.

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