Swine Flu And Exams

An outbreak of swine flu is a cause of concern any time of year, but when it coincides with exam time, the situation begs for more attention. That is why schools in the city are taking extra precautions to protect students.
While some schools have sent out circulars urging parents to keep their children at home in case they develop flu-like symptoms, others have instructed teachers to keep a close watch on the health of students.

According to official data, though the numbers are rising, not more than 30% of the swine flu-positive cases need hospitalisation as the virus strain is mild.
The city reported 60 new cases on Wednesday, taking the total number of affected persons this year to 570. Eleven people have died of the disease so far this year. The city reported 60 new cases of influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) on Wednesday, taking the total number of persons affected with the disease so far to 570. Eleven persons have already succumbed to the viral infection this year. Of them, 10 died in February alone.
The Delhi government’s health department, however, maintains that the virus strain is mild and is like any other seasonal influenza. There is no need to panic if one has tested positive for swine flu as the numbers may be rising but only about 30 per cent of the positive cases need hospitalisation.
“One has to be careful about the symptoms, especially if the person already has a history of chest infections such as pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, etc. Diabetics and those undergoing treatment for chronic diseases such as cancer must also see a doctor as soon as the symptoms appear,” said a senior health official in the Delhi government’s health department.
There are no differentiating symptoms of swine flu; the person having swine flu also has sore throat, body ache, runny nose, etc. However, the symptoms are likely to be more severe in case of swine flu than what one sees in seasonal influenza.
Health experts have urged people to maintain proper hygiene to avoid catching the infection. Wash your hands frequently, especially before or after eating; do not touch your mouth, nose and eyes frequently; cover nose and mouth with a disposable handkerchief while sneezing and avoid crowded areas and contact with people showing flu-like symptoms.
“Those who required hospitalisation were serious cases with previous history of upper respiratory tract infection. In most cases, the condition got aggravated as they did not pay heed to the symptoms and kept delaying seeing a doctor,” said the official