Eighteen more people tested positive for H1N1 virus today, taking the number of cases of swine flu reported in the national capital to 179, including three deaths, so far this season.
"Today, out of 99 samples, 18 have tested positive for swine flu," said R N Das, who is a member of the five-member team constituted by the health department to review the cases.
Das maintained that there was no cause for alarm and the seasonal infection will disappear once the warmer days set in.
Samples are being sent to National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to confirm whether they are swine flu cases.
Eleven District Surveillance Officers (DSOs), who have been nominated by the health department to check whether standard operating procedures for treatment of HINI cases are being followed by hospitals, have said there are sufficient amount of medicines available for treatment.
"We have enough medicines in stock. We are again and again instructing the 22 designated hospitals to follow the standard operating procedures for treatment of swine flu," they said.
Also, according to the five-member committee, the H1NI virus till now has claimed not four but three lives with one of the deceased's samples having tested negative for the virus by the NCDC.
The upsurge in swine flu cases have prompted the Union Health Ministry to procure 30,000 doses (75 mg and 45 mg - and 1,000 doses of the paediatric syrup) of the antiviral drug oseltamivir to check an outbreak.
Swine influenza A (H1N1) virus spreads in the same way as the seasonal flu and even the symptoms are similar to the symptoms of regular flu which includes fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, and fatigue.
"It spreads when infected people cough and then others breathe in the virus. People should avoid touching their nose and mouth after using a public tap. Mostly importantly people have to be vigilant and if they feel that they have contracted the virus, they should immediately seek medical help.
"Infected people can pass the infection to others a day before symptoms develop and up to seven or more days after becoming sick," said a health expert.
However, it can be serious for elderly or children with low immunity or people who have health complications like heart diseases, cancer, HIV, diabetes or pregnant women, elderly or children with low immunity, he added.
