Amidst nCoV scare, two confirmed for Swine Flu
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 04 2020: After four samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune yesterday, two more samples have been sent today for 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV) test.

Out of the four samples sent to Pune yesterday for necessary laboratory tests, two have been found positive for Swine Flu.

Health Director Dr K Rajo said that they have received results of three samples against the total six samples sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune so far.

Even though the results say that the three samples are negative for 2019 nCoV, two have been found positive for Swine Flu.

Amidst nCoV scare, two confirmed for Swine Flu : Health Director Dr K Rajo

Of the two infected by Swine Flu, one has a history of visiting China recently, Dr Rajo said.

Both the two Swine Flu patients belong to Imphal West district and they have been confined to their homes.

Health workers of the department have started giving medicines to the two patients from today.

Moreover, necessary preventive measures have been put in place in their neighbourhoods, conveyed the Health Director.

Notably, coronavirus and Swine Flu have similar symptoms.

Whereas there is no medicine for treating coronavirus as of now, there are medicines for treating Swine Flu, Dr Rajo said.

Incidentally, one individual died due to Swine Flu in Imphal East district last year.

Dr Rajo said that Swine Flu had been already detected but no case of 2019 nCoV has been detected in the State till date.

There was a single case of Swine Flu in 2010 but there was no case of Swine Flu from 2011 to 2014 .

However, in 2015, five people were tested positive for Swine Flu and two of them succumbed to the infection.

There was no case of Swine Flu in 2016 .

But one out of eight people tested positive for Swine Flu succumbed in 2017 .

No Swine Flu case was detected in the State in 2018 but one out of three people tested positive for Swine Flu died last year.

Of the two persons tested positive for Swine Flu today, one came back from China recently.

The other one is a close associate of the first one, said the Health Director.

Swine Flu test can now be done at JNIMS and there are adequate medicines for treatment of Swine Flu at the Medical Directorate, Dr Rajo continued.

Based on the signs and symptoms, H1N1 virus (Swine Flu) which is also known as seasonal flu is divided into three categories - A, B and C.Category A symptoms include mild coughing, fever, throat pain etc.

In category B, these symptoms would grow worse and in category C, all these symptoms will become very severe and the patients will have respiratory problems which may ultimately lead to multiple organ failure, Dr Rajo explained.

If one is showing category B symptoms, necessary tests and medication are necessary.

If the symptoms have reached category C, the patients should be given intensive treatment as well as fluid therapy, he said.

Generally, people with weak immune system, aged persons, children, people living with HIV, pregnant women, people suffering from heart, liver ailments and other chronic diseases are vulnerable to HIN1 virus and 2019 nCoV.

To keep away these viruses, it is advisable for every person to wash one's hands frequently with soaps or alcohol based hand sanitiser.

If one is suffering from cold, he/she should use mouth masks and avoid visiting public places, Dr Rajo continued.

He further advised all to avoid meat shops as far as possible and eat meat including eggs only after properly cooking them.

As for Swine Flu, there is nothing to be worried about, he added.