Swine Flu Cases In Delhi Cross 1,000-Mark! List Of Precautions To Take

New Delhi: As many as 1,011 cases of swine flu (H1N1) were reported from various hospitals in the national capital till Sunday, according to a data released by the government on Monday.

Although the government data does not report any deaths due to H1N1, some city hospitals claim that 11 persons died last month due to the infection.

In entire 2018, only 205 H1N1 cases and two deaths were reported.

Till January 29, the number of cases were 512.

The Delhi government has directed all its hospitals to make local purchases of logistics required to ensure a continuous supply of medicine, vaccine and kits.

"All government hospitals are equipped with the necessary logistics required for the management of Seasonal Influenza A (H1N1)," the government said in a statement.

A health advisory has also been issued in both Hindi and English by the Delhi's Directorate General of Health Services, it said.

According to the advisory, Seasonal Influenza (H1N1) is a self-limiting air-borne viral, and the disease spreads from person to person through coughing and sneezing, indirect contact by touching a contaminated object or surface, and close contact including handshakes, hugging and kissing.

"The symptoms include fever and cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose and difficulty in breathing. Other symptoms may include body-ache, headache, fatigue, chills, diarrhea and vomiting, and blood-stained sputum," it said.

The advisory also said that children with mild illness but with predisposing risk factors, pregnant women, persons aged 65 years or older, patients with lung diseases, heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, blood disorders, diabetes, neurological disorders, cancer and HIV/AIDS, patients on long-term cortisone therapy are under the high-risk group.

Here are some precautions to be taken:

1. If you are sick or have any flu-like symptoms, stay home. Swine flu symptoms may mimic those of regular flu and cold symptoms.

2. Cough or sneeze into the crook (inside elbow) of your arm to avoid transferring germs to hands and then to every object you touch. Swine flu is very contagious, and can spread easily by touching an infected object and then touching your face. 

3. Use a hand sanitizer and wash hands constantly to avoid swine flu. Anything you touch may be affected, so keeping hands clean will help you avoid infection. 

4. Stay out of crowds as much as possible. Close proximity to other people will heighten your chances of getting swine flu. 

5. Eating plenty of vitamin A and C rich fruits and vegetables such as oranges, lemon, papaya, carrots, etc. helps in improving immunity.

Drink adequate fluids and keep yourself hydrated; both warm and normal temperature ones in the form of fresh fruit juices, soups and broths are beneficial.

Follow a healthy diet and get sufficient sleep to keep your Immune System running properly

Follow healthy habits and personal hygiene and take up a well-informed and equipped approach towards the Swine Flu virus so that you can deal with it in a more efficient way. For further information, you can visit the sites given below
 

(With inputs from IANS)