Manipur-Swine flu alert in state

Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 31 2009: Manipur govern-ment on Friday sounded swine flu alert with the confirmation of a girl infected by the disease.

The director of the state health service, W Motilal said today briefing the media persons in Imphal said that blood sample taken from a girl who was among the four girl fencers recently returned from Singapore after participating in an international event has been confirmed of infecting by the disease.

The blood sample taken from the girl who has been treating at the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, Porompat, Imphal with complaint of throat swap was sent to National Institute of Communicable Disease (NICD), New Delhi on July 29 and declared confirm of infection by the disease yesterday.

The blood sample was taken on July 27 following the report of two of her colleagues tested positive with the disease along with one coach from the state at New Delhi on their return to the country.

The girl is currently keeping at an isolated ward at JN Hospital and five members of the family are also under close obser-vation at the hospital, the director said.

Manipur has intensified surveillance of Swine Flu with Rapid Response Team (RRT) comprising of five to six doctors at the district level put into work and opening control rooms at the district level since the report of outbreak of the disease in Assam.

Since then RRT are put on duty by appointing additional director of state health department, Dr Thounaojam Bubhonchandra as state Swine Flu nodal officer.

People coming from outside in the state are conducting checking at various entry points like the Imphal airport and on the national highways.

A team of well trained doctors in the field from Imphal west district chief medical officer are stationing at Imphal Tulihal Airport for the same.

Another team of experts is also stationing at Moreh to check people coming from Myanmar under the supervision of the chief medical officer of Chandel district.

Considering that airport is one of the important points where people coming from different places affected by Swine Flu entered, the authorities taken up works of general surveillance in the area too.

Rapid Response Team (RRT) comprising of five to six doctors with expertise in the field in all the districts have been put into service from 9 am till 6 pm everyday.

A control room has also been opened at the state health directorate, the director added.