Mumbai, Aug 9 (Inditop.com) Rattled by three swine flu deaths in six days, the Maharashtra government Sunday set up a core group to monitor the influenza A (H1N1) spread, as four new cases were reported in the state – three from Pune and one from Navi Mumbai.
The core group, which will includes officials from the health, education, home, social welfare and concerned departments, will take steps to deal with the situation arising out of the swine flu outbreak.
“We are taking all possible measures, and strictly monitoring the developments across the state,” Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said after chairing an emergency meeting of health and education officials to discuss the H1N1 situation in the state.
The government will make available the Tamiflu drug to private hospitals to enable them treat the flu cases that they get.
Three Maharashtra patients – Reeda Shaikh, 14, and Sanjay Kokare, 42, both from Pune, and Fehmida Paanwala, 53, from Mumbai – who succumbed to the swine flu had been first taken to private hospitals after they developed symptoms H1N1.
In order to streamline the information dissemination process, a top official will hold daily media briefings in Mantralaya (the state government headquarters) followed by similar briefings at concerned district headquarters, Chavan said.
The chief minister appealed to the media to refrain from crowding at the government hospitals or screening centres since it created obstacles in the work of the officials and instead contact the concerned designated officials for information and daily updates.
The government has also decided that it would not be practical to distribute face masks (N-95) to all medical and health personnel.
“Hence, we have decided that such masks would be given only to the medicos involved in treating the patients and those coming in contact with them, like family members,” Chavan said.
He said there are 962 suspected H1N1 cases in the state, of which 230 were detected positive. Another 209 patients were discharged after successful treatment, he said.
Chavan announced that the government plans to open more screening and treatment centres in Mumbai and Pune.
