Swine flu scare around........

Hyderabad, August 13 :

With Swine Flu scare around, tourists wearing flu masks and are going round the tourist spots in the Old City of Hyderabad on Thursday. Several tourists are seen wearing the masks while vidting the hsitoric Charminar monument in Hyderabad.

Amidst threats of alarming rise in the Swine Flu cases in the State, particularly in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, a Swine Flu testing centre is coming into operation in Hyderabad on Friday itself.

The Chief Minister, Dr Y S SecunderabadReddy, here on Thursday said that the testing laboratory will be set up in Hyderabad and it will be operational from Friday itself. After reviewing with senior officials on the increasing number of cases of H1N1, which has now become popular as Swine Flu, and the steps taken to check the spread of the disease, the Chief Minister said that three experts from each medical college in the State will be trained to deal with the cases of the disease.

“Three expert doctors from each medical college will be selected and will be imparted a special training to tackle the Swine Flu cases and attend on the patients immediately, before it spreads to others, Dr Reddy explained. The Chief Minister allayed fears on the disease and also said that the administration is fully geared to deal with any eventuality.

“We are fully prepared to tackle the situation and adequate medicines are available with the hospitals and also medical agencies. There is absolutely no need for panic. Also, a toll free number has been set up to pass on the information as and when someone comes across any person suffering from the ailment,” he observed.

Besides, Dr Reddy said that officials of various cadres will be drafted to bring awareness among the public on the need to take preventive measures. The officials will take the necessary steps to educate the people on taking the preventive measures and also advise the patients to consult the doctors if need be, he added.

Meanwhile, reports from Kurnool, Mehboobnagar and the port city of Visakhapatnam say that more the number of persons are admitted to various hospitals with Swine Flu symptoms on Thursday. In Kadapa, the home district of the Chief Minister, the first H1N1 case was reported on Thursday.