Mumbai's first Swine flu patient isolated

I'll go anywhere you want me to. I'll take any medication I need to. I don't want anything to happen to my daughter."

These were the last words of the 36-year-old swine flu patient (whose name has not been revealed) before he left for Kasturba Hospital's isolation ward from Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on Thursday. The patient's family is now being advised house arrest to rule out any further chances of infection on Saturday.The patient himself is confined to a 10x12 cubicle at Kasturba Hospital's isolation ward. "He is co-operating and we have started the course of medication for him," said hospital superintendent Umesh Aigal.

The patient who walked in to Kokilaben hospital on Thursday afternoon was eager to be treated as soon as possible when his symptoms first led to suspicion of him being infected with the H1N1 virus. "He came in with high fever, chills, congested throat and other symptoms. Once we advised him to go to Kasturba, he was ready to do so for the sake of his family," said the hospital's travel clinic in charge Dr Tanu Singhal.

A team from the BMC and the state health department visited the patient's home in Andheri on Saturday and have conducted preliminary checks on the patient's wife and child as well as the patient's parents and brother who all live in the same home. "They have all been put on Tamiflu and have been directed house isolation to avoid the spread of infection," said Dr Pradeep Awate, head of the state's influenza cell.

At least 15 people including the family who have been in contact with the patient will now be on Tamiflu as a precaution. Executive health officer Jairaj Thanekar said that the family were not displaying any visible symptoms just as yet.

Following the state's first case, preparedness has been stepped up at all centres with district hospitals instructed to keep at least five beds for patient isolation on standby.

There are 56 confirmed swine flu cases in the country so far.

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What is Swine flu?

The symptoms of swine flu are similar to the symptoms of regular flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills confusion, vomiting and fatigue. Some people have also reported diarrhea and vomiting. Severe illness -- pneumonia and respiratory failure -- have been reported with swine flu infection in people. In children, the symptoms include trouble in breathing, bluish skin colour, being irritable, fever and rashes.
How does swine flu spread?
Swine influenza A (H1N1) virus spreads in the same way as seasonal flu. Flu spreads mainly through coughs and sneezes of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching a contaminated surface and then touching their mouth or nose.
How can someone with the flu infect others?
Infected people can pass the infection to others a day before symptoms develop and up to 7 or more days after becoming sick. Are there medicines to treat swine flu?
Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for treatment and/or prevention of infection. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body.
•What precautions can be taken against swine flu?
There is no vaccine available to protect against swine flu. But there are everyday actions that can check the spread of germs:
•Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.
•Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
•Avoid close contact with sick people.
•If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
•Is it safe to eat pork?
Yes. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.
•How serious is swine flu infection?
Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. The infection can also be fatal. The current level of influenza pandemic alert has been raised from phase 4 to 5. What does this mean?
All countries should immediately activate their pandemic preparedness plans. Countries should remain on high alert for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia. There should be heightened surveillance, early detection and treatment of cases, and infection control at health facilities. The change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to ministries of health and other ministries, to the pharmaceutical industry and the business community that certain actions should now be undertaken with increased urgency, and at an accelerated pace.

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World flu alert goes Higher; Mexico plans shutdown

Mexico readied a ‘temporarily closed’ sign — taking the drastic step of ordering a suspension of nonessential federal government and private business activity as it tried to squelch a swine flu epidemic.

The World Health Organization ratcheted up an alert and warned that ‘all of humanity’ is threatened.

The dire warning showed that world health officials are very worried about the potential for massive numbers of deaths worldwide from the mutated virus, even though the epidemic so far has claimed only a confirmed eight lives in Mexico and one in the United States. Roughly 170 deaths are suspected of having been caused by the virus in Mexico.

The Phase five alert, indicating a pandemic could be imminent as the virus spread further in Europe, prompted Mexico to announce the partial May 1-5 shutdown, Mexican Health Secretary Jose Cordova said late Wednesday.

In Washington, President Barack Obama promised ‘great vigilance’ in confronting the outbreak which has sickened nearly 100 people in 11 states and forced schools to close. A Mexican toddler who visited Texas with his family died Monday night in Houston, becoming the first fatality in the US, and 39 Marines were confined to their base in California after one came down with the disease.

The virus, a mix of pig, bird and human genes to which people have limited natural immunity, has also spread to Canada, New Zealand, Britain, Germany, Spain, Israel and Austria.

‘It really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic,’ WHO Director General Margaret Chan said in Geneva. ‘We do not have all the answers right now, but we will get them.’

In a televised address, Mexican President Felipe Calderon praised ‘the heroic work’ of doctors and nurses and asked his countrymen to literally stay in their homes between May one and May 5, saying ‘there is no safer place to protect yourself against catching swine flu, than in your house.’

‘In recent days, Mexico has faced one of the most serious problems in recent years,’ Calderon said Wednesday night. He brushed aside criticisms that his government’s response was slow, stressing several times that authorities had reacted ‘immediately.’

School in Mexico has already been canceled until May 6. During the shutdown, essential services like transport, supermarkets, trash collection and hospitals will remain open.

Calderon said authorities would use the partial shutdown to weigh whether to extend the emergency measures, or ‘if it is possible to phase out some’ restrictions.

The outbreak appeared to already be stabilizing in Mexico, the epicenter. Confirmed swine flu cases doubled Wednesday to 99, but new deaths finally seemed to be leveling off after an aggressive public health campaign was launched when the epidemic was declared on April 23.

Although 17 new suspected deaths were reported, only one additional confirmed death was announced Wednesday night, for a total of eight countrywide. The virus is believed to have sickened as many as 2,955 people across the country, though hospital records suggest the outbreak may have peaked here last week.

The WHO said the global threat is nevertheless serious enough to ramp up efforts to produce a vaccine against the virus. It declared a Phase five outbreak — the second-highest on its threat scale — for the first time ever, indicating a pandemic could be imminent.

In the US, eight states closed schools Wednesday, affecting 53,000 students in Texas alone.

Obama said his administration has made sure needed medical supplies are on hand. ‘The key now is to just make sure we are maintaining great vigilance, that everybody responds appropriately when cases do come up. And individual families start taking very sensible precautions that can make a huge difference.’

He praised the Bush administration for stockpiling 50 million doses of antiviral medications.

Ecuador joined Cuba and Argentina in banning travel to or from Mexico and Peru banned flights from Mexico. The Panama Canal Authority ordered pilots and other employees who board ships passing through the waterway to use surgical masks and gloves. An average of 36 ships per day use the canal, most from the United States, China, Chile and Japan.

In France, President Nicolas Sarkozy met with cabinet ministers to discuss swine flu, and the health minister said France would ask the European Union to suspend flights to Mexico.

The US, the European Union and other countries have discouraged nonessential travel to Mexico. Some countries have urged their citizens to avoid the United States and Canada as well. Health officials said such bans would do little to stop the virus.

Medical detectives have not pinpointed where the outbreak began. Scientists believe that somewhere in the world, months or even a year ago, a pig virus jumped to a human and mutated, and has been spreading between humans ever since. One of the deaths in Mexico directly attributed to swine flu was that of a Bangladeshi immigrant.

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