After the death of the 14-year-old student from swine flu in Pune, the health ministry held a high-level meeting yesterday, chaired by Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, to review and issue guidelines to curb the spread of the H1N1 virus.
After the death of the 14-year-old student from swine flu in Pune, the health ministry held a high-level meeting yesterday, chaired by Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, to review and issue guidelines to curb the spread of the H1N1 virus.
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Any person with flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cold, etc, should go to a designated government facility for giving his/her blood sample for testing for the H1N1 virus.
Earlier, there were only 18 laboratories in the country where sample of the virus could be tested.
But now some private hospitals across the country will also be allowed to take samples of suspected patients and then send them to the laboratories to be tested.
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After clinical assessment, the designated medical officer would decide on the need for testing. Except for cases that are severe, the patient would be allowed to go home. This was not allowed under the existing guidelines.
If the sample tests positive for H1N1 and in case the symptoms are mild, the patient would be given the option of admission to a hospital or isolation andu00a0 treatment at his own home.
In case the patient opts for home isolation and treatment, he would be provided with detailed guidelines/safety measures to be strictly adhered to by the household.
He would have to provide full contact details of his family and social contacts, who would be provided with preventive treatment. But the decision of the doctor of the notified hospital about admittingu00a0 the patient would be final.
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The existing policy of isolating passengers with flu- like symptoms would continue.
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