Medisite India

Swine Flu India - News Update for 23rd September, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji K) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:38:00 +0000

Five deaths take India's swine flu toll to 262
Five swine flu deaths, including three in Karnataka, were reported Tuesday, taking India's total toll due to the contagious influenza A (H1N1) virus to 262, health authorities said here. Maharashtra, which tops the list of swine flu deaths and cases in the country, also reported one death, taking its total number of deaths to 107. Delhi recorded one death Tuesday.
Also, 324 new swine flu cases were reported in the country, taking the total number of people affected so far to 8,477.

Tamiflu now available over the counter
The world's only antiviral drug known to be effective against the deadly H1N1 swine flu virus, oseltamivir (Tamilfu), is now available at chemists near you. A total of 480 chemists have been allowed to sell the drug in India against prescription, of which 28 are in Delhi.
The chemists in Delhi who have been given licence to sell Tamilfu are based in Dilshad Garden, Pitampura, Gautam Nagar, Chanakyapuri, Vasant Kunj, Old Rajinder Nagar, Rajouri Garden, East Shalimar Bagh, Sarita Vihar, Kalkaji, Gole Market, Dwarka Sector 10 and Nehru Nagar.
The second line drug Zanamivir or Relenza, listed under Schedule X of the Drugs and Cosmetic Act, 2008, will also be available. However, the demand is expected to be for oseltamivir which is the first line drug.

Swine Flu India - news Update for 22nd September, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji K) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 06:06:00 +0000

10 New Deaths Takes Tally Up to 247
With the death of 10 more people on Monday, the total death toll due to Swine flu has reached 247 even as 228 fresh cases of the viral disease were reported across the nation. With the fresh cases, the number of people infected by the virus has reached 8,153.
Of the total deaths, three were reported from Karnataka on Monday. With this, the toll due to H1N1 contagion climbed to 80 in the state. According to state health officials, the victims were all females, including a one-year-old from Gulbarga. She was admitted on September 15 at a private hospital in Gulbarga and died two days later. The other two were: a 22-year-old woman who died on September 14 and a 35-year-old woman who succumbed to the flu on September 16 at a government hospital in Bangalore. On Monday, 12 more people were confirmed positive for H1N1 in Karnataka. The total number of confirmed swine flu cases in the state has gone up to 899, the officials said.
Elsewhere in the country, seven more deaths were reported on Monday -- three each from Maharashtra and Gujarat and one from Andhra Pradesh. In Gujarat, social worker and leader of Medical Representatives Association Ambadas Shivaratri, (40) succumbed to the flu on Sunday night, hospital sources said. He was admitted to Munot-Sahyadri Hospital in Pune about a fortnight ago.

Swine Flu India - News Update for 18th September, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji K) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:13:00 +0000

No swine flu death for the first time in a month

No swine flu death was reported in the country today for the first time in a month but 208 more people tested positive with the virus. Delhi reported the maximum number of 53 cases followed by 46 in Tamil Nadu, 42 in Maharashtra, 22 each in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and five in Uttarakhand, said a statement by the Union Health Ministry.
With today's cases, the total number of those afflicted by the disease has reached 7008 while the number of dead reached 214.

Swine Flu India - News Update for 17th September, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji K) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:49:00 +0000

India's swine flu toll 212, Tamiflu sales allowed
A record 11 swine flu deaths were reported Wednesday, taking India's total toll to 212. Maharashtra, which has registered the maximum number of deaths and cases in the country, reported one death each from Mumbai and Solapur. Its death toll has gone up to 89. With the two deaths in Surat, Gujarat's toll has risen to 20, officials said. Rajasthan recorded its first swine flu death Wednesday.
In Karnataka, three more swine flu deaths were reported, taking the toll due to the H1N1 virus in the state to 69. All three victims died in Bangalore. While two died in government-run hospitals, one death was reported from a private hospital. All three died Sep 13. However, the report confirming that all three victims tested positive for the virus was received only Sep 15, a health official said.
Three people died of the H1N1 virus in Andhra Pradesh, taking the swine flu toll to 16 in the state. Two women died in the government-run Gandhi Hospital while a man succumbed at a private hospital here.
As many as 212 fresh cases were reported in the country, taking the total number of people affected with the influenza A(H1N1) to 6,800.

Government allows restricted sale of Tamiflu
The health ministry said Tamiflu will be available in the open market within a week. The notification in this regard was issued Tuesday. This allows for 'restricted sale' of Tamiflu (Oselatamivir) and Zanamivir, the only available drugs that are used for the treatment of influenza A(H1N1).
'It is expected that within the next five to seven days, both the drugs would be available in the retail market through identified chemists against proper medical prescriptions,' an official said. 'Taking into account the current spread of the influenza A(H1N1) in the country, the health ministry has decided that retail sale of tamiflu and Zanamivir should be allowed in the country but in a regulated manner,' he said.
The retail sale of Tamiflu was banned by the government and its distribution was permissible only through public health institutions. However, there was no restriction on the sale of Zanamivir. A 10-tablet strip of Tamiflu costs Rs.280.

India allows 'restricted sale' of Tamiflu

balajictriumphants@gmail.com (Medisite India) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:57:00 +0000

India Monday decided to allow 'restricted sale' of Tamiflu in open market to combat the spread of swine flu that has claimed more than 190 lives, health ministry official said.

'After a meeting of top health officials, it was decided that Tamiflu will be sold in public but only in restricted chemist shops,' a health ministry official told IANS.

'At least 480 chemists have been given permission for the purpose. A detailed notification will disseminate Tuesday,' he added.

While some countries have already allowed Tamiflu sales in open, India so far stayed away from such a decision. 'The situation is under control and it's not the time to sale it open market,' was the justification an official offered earlier.

Minister of State for Health Dinesh Trivedi told IANS Aug 27: 'If the situation demands, we will allow restricted sale of Tamiflu.'

India reported its first case of influenza A(H1N1) virsus in early May from Hyderabad and since then the country has reported around 6,400 cases. At least 191 people have died due to this contagious virus in the country.

Swine Flu India - News Update for 16th September, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji K) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:58:00 +0000

8 more die of swine flu, India's death toll touches 201
Eight more persons succumbed to swine flu across the country on Tuesday, taking the toll from the disease to 201 as 229 fresh cases were reported in the day. Of the eight deaths, two were reported from Delhi, bringing the total number of deaths in the national capital to 10. The other deaths were reported from Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Delhi reported the highest of 61 cases followed by Tamil Nadu 50, Karnataka 22 and Haryana 31. The total number of those afflicted by the disease today reached 6,588.

India's swine flu vaccine likely by March '10
The Indian vaccine against the pandemic strain of swine flu would be commercially available by March next with the authorities planning to fast-track the clinical trials in humans in accordance with international protocols.

Centre taps MNCs for swine flu vaccine as toll crosses 200
The Centre is looking to build its stockpile of vaccines to deal with influenza A (HINI) or swine flu, as the death toll crosses 200 in the country.
Multinational drug-makers such as Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Aventis have been asked to undertake late stage phase III trials to be able to supply their respective swine flu vaccines locally, a senior official with the Union Health Ministry said.

Free insurance cover for docs tackling H1N1
Some relief for doctors treating H1N1 patients in Pune, the city that has faced the brunt of the virus attack. An insurance company is now offering them a life cover. Pune-based insurance company, Bajaj Allianz has offered staff at the Naidu hospital, the Sassoon hospital's critical care ward and the National Institute of Virology, free life insurance cover.

swine flu news update 15th september

balajictriumphants@gmail.com (Medisite India) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:58:00 +0000

Two swine flu deaths in Karnataka and one in the national capital were reported on Monday, pushing up India's Influenza A (H1N1) virus toll to 191, health authorities said in New Delhi.
Also, 220 fresh swine flu cases were reported in the country, taking the total number of people affected so far with the flu to 6,359.
In Andhra Pradesh, Health Minister D. Nagender told reporters that an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, who is a collector of a district, had tested positive for swine flu.
Chief Minister K. Rosaiah, who reviewed the situation at the Gandhi Hospital Sunday, said that in view of the high cost of testing - almost Rs.9,000 per individual, the government has decided to include swine flu in the package of Aarogyasri, the health insurance scheme for the poor.
The fresh swine flu cases were reported from Delhi (85), Maharashtra (49), Tamil Nadu (31), Haryana (24) and Karnataka (14).

Swine Flu India - News Update for 13th September, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji K) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 19:56:00 +0000

Eleven swine flu deaths take India's toll to 172

Eleven swine flu deaths, including six in Maharashtra and four in Karnataka, were reported on Saturday, pushing up India's toll from the Influenza A(H1N1) virus to 172, health authorities said here.

One death was reported from Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad area, near the national capital. This is the first swine flu death in the state. According to NK.Chaturvedi, the medical superintendent of the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital here, the Ghaziabad resident had come to the hospital 12 days late. Ajay Aggarwal, 34, was admitted Sep 5. "But his condition was really bad ever since he came to the hospital. Since he came late, the treatment was delayed. Even a delay of five days can be fatal," Chaturvedi said.

In Karnataka, the death toll due to the H1N1 virus has reached 57, a health official said. While three deaths were reported from Bangalore, the fourth was in Kolar. All four victims were women. Though they died earlier, the report confirming that they tested positive for the virus was received Sep 11, the health official said. Briefing on swine flu treatment in Karnataka, which has seen a large number of deaths, state's health minister B Sreeramulu has said the government would bear expenses of the swab test that amounts to Rs.2,000.

Meanwhile, 183 fresh cases were reported in the country, taking the total number of people affected with the virus to 5,979. Of the total 183 fresh cases, 56 were from Delhi. This took the number of people affected with the flu in the national capital to 1,169. Maharashtra, which has so far registered the highest number of deaths and cases in the country, reported 42 new cases. With this, the total number of people affected with the influenza in the state rose to 1,985. At least 78 people in Maharashtra have lost their lives due to the flu since the first death was reported Aug 3.

The other fresh cases were from Karnataka (28), Tamil Nadu (24), Andhra Pradesh (11), Kerala (7), Haryana (5), Uttarakhand (4), and Chhattisgarh (1).

WHO recants H1N1 advice on schools

The global health watchdog, World Health Organisation, may have learnt a lesson or two from India's handling of the H1N1 swine flu outbreak. Almost six months after the bug made its presence felt, WHO has said closing schools at the start of an H1N1 flu outbreak could slow down the virus' spread by almost 30%-50% and help buy crucial time to build up defences against the highly infectious strain of influenza.

This is exactly what Indian schools, especially in Delhi and Pune, did. And interestingly, they did so against the Union health ministry's wishes. Following WHO's advice, the ministry had, for the past few months, been speaking of the lack of benefits in keeping entire schools shut after students tested positive for H1N1 infection. The ministry's advice was to shut only those classes where a student had tested positive for H1N1. Health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had held "shutting a school wouldn't mean you can stop students from attending parties and meeting friends in the evening where they can get the infection. Schools must stay open."

But on Saturday, WHO said experience to date has demonstrated the role of schools in amplifying transmission of the pandemic virus, both within and into the wider community. This has led to the revision of its opinion. After "drawing on recent experiences in several countries", WHO said school closure can operate as a proactive measure in reducing transmission of H1N1. WHO said, "The main benefit of proactive school closure comes from slowing down the spread of an outbreak within a given area and thus flattening the peak of infections. School closure can also buy some time as countries intensify preparedness measures or build up supplies of vaccines and antiviral drugs."

WHO's modeling studies suggest school closure has its greatest benefits when this is effected very early in an outbreak. If schools close too late in the course of a community-wide outbreak, the resulting reduction in transmission is likely to be very limited.

Swine flu infection and pregnant women

balajictriumphants@gmail.com (Medisite India) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Dr. Balaji Chinnasami

What if I get this new virus and I am pregnant?

Pregnant women are more likely to get sick than others and have more serious problems with seasonal flu. These problems may include early labor or severe pneumonia. We don’t know if this virus will do the same, but it should be taken very seriously.

What can I do to protect myself and my baby ?

· 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 warm water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based gel hand cleaners are also good to use.

· Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.

· Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

What should I do if I get sick?

· If you get sick with flu-like symptoms, stay home, limit contact with others, and call your doctor. Your doctor will decide if testing or treatment is needed. Tests may include a nasal swab which is best to do within the first 4-5 days of getting sick.

· If you are alone at any time, have someone check in with you often if you are feeling ill.

· If you have close contact with someone who has H1N1 flu or is being treated for exposure to H1N1 flu, contact your doctor to discuss whether you need treatment to reduce your chances of getting the flu.

How is H1N1 flu treated?

· Drink plenty of fluids to replace those you lose when you are sick. Paracetamol can be taken for fever.

· Your doctor will decide if you need antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu

There is little information about the effect of antiviral drugs in pregnant women or their babies, but no serious side effects have been reported.

How should I feed my baby?

Flu can be very serious in young babies. Babies who are breastfed do not get as sick and are sick less often from the flu, than do babies who are not breastfed.

Breastfeeding protects babies. Breast milk passes on antibodies from the mother to a baby. Antibodies help fight off infection.

Is it ok to breastfeed my baby if I am sick?

· Do not stop breastfeeding if you are ill. Breastfeed early and often. Limit formula feeds if you can. This will help protect your baby from infection.

· Be careful not to cough or sneeze in the baby’s face, wash your hands often with soap and water.

· Your doctor might ask you to wear a mask to keep from spreading this new virus to your baby.

Is it OK to take medicine to treat or prevent H1N1 flu while breastfeeding?

Yes. Mothers who are breastfeeding can continue to nurse their babies while being treated for the flu.

Swine Flu India - News Update for 11th September, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji K) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:54:00 +0000

Nine more swine flu deaths push India's toll to 154

Nine more people - five in Maharashtra and four in Karnataka - died of swine flu in India Thursday, taking the toll from the virus in the country to 154, health authorities said here. In Maharashtra, the five deaths were reported from Ahmednagar, Satara, Raigad and Solapur. With this, the toll in the state has gone up to 72 - the highest in the country. In Karnataka, deaths were reported from Bijapur, Bangalore, Bagalkot and Davangere. With the four deaths, the total number of people who have succumbed to the virus in this southern state has risen to 49 - the second highest in India.
About 176 fresh swine flu cases were reported in the country, taking the total number of people affected with H1N1 virus to 5,611. Delhi reported the maximum number of fresh cases Thursday with a record 68 people testing positive for the flu. It was followed by Tamil Nadu, where 32 people were detected with the contagious virus. Maharashtra had 26 fresh cases.

Govt likely to allow restricted sale of Tamiflu on Friday

With over 5,500 cases of swine flu in India and the virus continuing to spread, the health ministry is likely on Friday to allow restricted sales of H1N1 preventive drug Tamiflu in public, officials said Thursday.
The official said as the number of deaths - 154 so far - and cases continues to spiral across the country, the ministry is now open to the idea of allowing restricted sales over the counter. The official said that selected chemists who are holding licence to sell H-level drugs may be allowed to sell Tamiflu. "There are two other options before the ministry but a decision will be taken during the secretary's meeting."

Swine flu H1N1 - the natural solution by Homeopathy?

Over 5 million French people and over $20 million dollars is spent on a little known but much used homeopathic remedy to treat the flu. Homeopathy has recently become Europe’s fastest growing form of alternative medicine. Last year sales of homeopathic medicines in Europe topped £3billion. Many scientific studies have been carried out that proves its efficacy medically and especially in flu outbreaks like this swine flu H1N1. This medicine could be the natural solution for the epidemic. No nasty chemicals and it reduces the flu symptoms by three days in comparison to a vaccine that has not been tested and will take up to six weeks to create an effect. Most importantly this remedy could help regulate the deadly ‘cytokine storm’ effect of this flu.

Oscillococcinum was first studied in France during the 1987 flu epidemic caused by an H1N1 virus similar to the swine flu of today. This multi-centre study examined the effect of Oscillococcinum (200C) on the early symptoms of flu. Results were published in the peer-reviewed British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. More patients in the treatment group recovered completely in the first 48 hours than the control group (17 percent of patients with active treatment compared to 10 percent of controls). More patients in the treatment group also judged the treatment as better compared to the placebo, 61 percent vs 49 percent.

In 1990 German scientists replicated the French study of Oscillococcinum. They used the same criteria as the previous study. After 48 hours of treatment with Oscillococcinum the treatment group had considerably milder symptoms than the control group, and the number of patients with no symptoms from day two onward was significantly greater in the treatment group 17.4 % compared to the control group 6.6 %.

Both of these studies show a significant curative effect of a homeopathic medicine in the treatment of flu in carefully conducted, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials. Conventional antiviral drugs reduce the duration of flu by about one day if taken within the first 48 hours of illness. These studies shows that homeopathy carries the potential to make a dramatic difference in any flu epidemic without the risk of drug side effects. Some of those drugs have now been linked to heart problems and do not address the ‘cytokine storm’ of this swine flu H1N1.

Private European insurers cover homeopathic treatments and The World Health Organisation recommends them. A few years ago Spain took an initiative to incorporate homeopathy into its national health service. There are over 250,000 homeopaths in India.

Swine flu stabs lungs - Recent study

balajictriumphants@gmail.com (Medisite India) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:20:00 +0000

Dr. Balaji Chinnasami

Many of swine flu deaths were caused by acute respiratory disease syndrome (ARDS), which requires intensive-care treatment for an average of three weeks. Only 50 percent of ARDS patients survive.Though everyone knows that people with swine flu die because of pneumonia, scientific study results about the mechanism of infection has come out recently. Lab-dish experiments were carried out by Ten Feizi of Imperial College London and his colleagues. According to them swine flu can infect cells deeper in the lungs than seasonal flu, thus helping to boost the severity of the illness.

Influenza viruses penetrate cells by attaching themselves to molecules called receptors, located on the outside of the cell wall. Once inside, the virus uses the cell's machinery to replicate, eventually bursting the cell and going on to attack others.

Seasonal strains attach themselves almost exclusively to cells found in the nose, throat and upper airway, producing some of influenza's signature symptoms: runny nose, scratchy throat, dry cough. But the swine flu virus was also able to latch onto receptors found deep inside the lungs, although more weakly. The adhesion results in a more severe lung infection.

Mutation can result in more stronger attachment to receptors resulting in increase in the number of complications. The results are a cause of concern at present because of the unpredictable path swine flu virus is taking.

Swine Flu India - News Update for 10th September, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji K) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:21:00 +0000

Seven more swine flu deaths, India's toll 145
Seven people, including two each in Maharashtra, Kerala and Karnataka, died due to swine flu Wednesday, taking India's toll to 145, health authorities said here.
With the two deaths - one each in Pune and Mumbai, respectively - the toll in Maharashtra, which has seen the maximum number of deaths and cases, has gone up to 67. The total number of people affected by the virus in the state has gone up to 1,885. The two deaths - in Bijapur and Bangalore, respectively - have taken the total number of deaths in Karnataka to 45 - the second highest in the country. In Kerala, the two deaths have taken the toll in the state to four, health authorities said here. One death was also reported from Surat in Gujarat, where 12 people have so far lost their lives due to swine flu.
Meanwhile, 214 fresh cases were reported in the country, taking the total number of people affected with influenza A(H1N1) to 5,435.

WHO warns of winter surge of Swine Flu in South East Asia
The swine flu virus may see a possible upsurge during the upcoming winter season in the South East Asian region, including India, the World Health Organisation today warned, asking nations to continue updating combat measures.

China's mass swine flu vaccination
China is to become the first country in the world to start a mass swine flu vaccination programme for its population following a big surge in the number of cases. No one's died yet from the virus in China but the authorities there describe the situation as 'grim'. The big rise coincides with the start of the school year and the approaching winter.

Tamiflu should be used only for sick people

balajictriumphants@gmail.com (Medisite India) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:52:00 +0000

Swine Flu India - News Update for 9th September, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji K) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:21:00 +0000

3 more swine flu deaths take India's toll to 138
Three more people - all in Maharashtra - died of swine flu Tuesday, taking the country's toll to 138, health officials said here. With the three deaths, the total number of people who have died in the state due to the contagious influenza has gone up to 65.

Meanwhile, 245 fresh cases were reported in the country, taking the number of people affected with the flu to 5,221. 'Till date, samples from 26,037 people have been tested for influenza A (H1N1) in various government and private laboratories across the country, and 5,221 of them have been found positive,' said a statement issued here.

Growing virus vs Making virus

balajictriumphants@gmail.com (Medisite India) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:28:00 +0000

Dr. Balaji Chinnasami

WWW.swinefluindiaa.com

Swine Flu is spreading at its own speed with no brakes so far. The main reason is that it’s a new virus and people are suffering for the first time. Hence almost entire world is susceptible for the virus. But luckily virus has been moderate and merciful to us licking most of us and biting few vulnerable population. So far no vaccine has been released, the process of research and manufacture is yet to complete. What would have happened had the virus been dangerous and spreading fast ? May be I might not be alive to write this article.

Man cloned sheep which has become story of the past. Science has improved to such a level that today he is ready to clone a virus.

Viruses also hatches from eggs

Not only chicks hatch from eggs, most of our vaccine viruses are grown in eggs. Almost 900 million eggs are needed to produce 300 million doses. The speed with which we grow viruses in eggs cannot match the speed with which viruses multiply in people. Hence if viruses that cause the pandemic are too deadly and virulent then our egg hatching technology might fall too short.

Manufacturing virus is the solution

The virus-like particle (VLP) cell-culture technology is based on the modern scientific concept of making virus like particles which mimicks swine flu virus.Its like making thousand baby dolls rather than giving birth to thousand babies. Within a short span of time we can meet the requirements, keeping up with the pace of spread of pandemic. Since the VLP mimicks original virus immunogenicity is good, but since it is not alive it is safe with no fear of mutation and going wild later.

Can Novavax do it ?

Last week Novavax released some great news regarding their phase II clinical trials. The vaccine manufactured by VLP cell culture technique is both safe and immunogenic and worked against three types of seasonal flu including H1N1. Many pharmaceutical companies including cadila pharmaceuticals for India are waiting for the final phase of study by Novavax to complete. Also Novavax is planning their comparative trial with egg based vaccine by this fall among elderly people.

Swine Flu India - News Update for 8th September, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji K) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:20:00 +0000

Four more swine flu deaths take India’s toll to 135
Four people, including two in Goa, died due to swine flu Monday, taking India’s total toll to 135, health authorities said here. Also, 147 fresh cases were reported in the country, taking the number of people affected with the flu to 4,885. Apart from Goa, one death each was reported from Delhi and Karnataka.

Bajaj Allianz Life gives free cover to swine flu crusaders
In recognition of the high-risk service of people working in hospitals, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance on Monday declared a one year life insurance cover for all doctors and hospital staff engaged in treating swine flu patients in Pune.
The company gave a total of 905 policies to doctors, scientists, nurses and support staff of three main hospitals engaged in fighting the dreaded virus which claimed India’s first victim on August 2. The policy is effective from September 4. “The total insurance cover is Rs 18.37 crore,” Kamesh Goyal, country manager, Allianz and CEO, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance, said. The insurance claims ranges from a minimum average of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for each claimant, he said.

Three Delhi schools close down due to swine flu scare
The swine flu scare in the national capital forced the closure of three public schools Monday after some of their students tested positive for the influenza A (H1N1) virus. While the Vishwa Bharti Public School in Dwarka was closed for two days, the Heritage Grove Public School in Vasant Kunj and Banyan Tree School in Lodhi Colony were closed for a week.

Swine Flu India - News Update (2) for 7th September, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji K) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:22:00 +0000

28 Year Old Lady Succumbs to Swine Flu in Goa
Goa recorded its first ever indigenous swine flu death in the form of 28 year old lady who died in a private clinic at Margao on Sunday, September 6. Earlier, the state had two people dying in its hospitals because of swine flu but the state health authorities had refused to accept them as Goa cases as they were admitted from neighbouring Karwar district of Karnataka state.
State nodal officer for swine flu Dr Jose de Sa confirming the death said that the patient was admitted in a private clinic at Margao, a town located 30 kms away from the capital city of Panaji. Dr de Sa stated that the patient was from Khola village in remote Canacona taluka bordering Karnataka state. He said that she was administered tamiflu tablets after she was confirmed as swine flu patient but died on Sunday. “She did not respond to the treatment. We tried every possible effort to treat her,” said de Sa.

Two swine flu patients critical in Delhi hospital
Two swine flu patients - a 12-year-old girl and a 69-year-old man are critical and are on ventilator at a Delhi hospital, doctors said Monday.“Both of them are in very critical condition and we are keeping our fingers crossed,” said N.K. Chaturvedi, medical superintendent of the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital.
They were diagnosed with the H1N1 virus late last week but have other health complications as well. “The girl has a respiratory problem and the 69-year-old male is suffering from renal failure,” Chaturvedi said. Doctors are keeping a close watch on these two patients, he added.Eleven swine flu patients, including the girl and the elderly man, are in RML Hospital now.

Swine Flu India- News Update for 7th September, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji K) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:09:00 +0000

Six swine flu deaths take India's toll to 131
Six people, including three in Maharashtra, died of swine flu Sunday, taking India's toll to 131, health authorities said in New Delhi. With the latest three deaths, the toll in Maharashtra due to the influenza A (H1N1) virus has jumped to 62. One death each was reported from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.

Moreover, 93 fresh cases were reported in the country, taking the total number of people affected with the flu to 4,738. 'Till date, samples from 24,943 people have been tested for influenza A (H1N1) in various government and private laboratories across the country, and 4,738 of them have been found positive,' according to a health ministry statement.

Of the 93 fresh cases, 35 are reported from Delhi, which now has 809 affected cases - the second highest in the country. Maharashtra, which leads the country in terms of both deaths and flue cases, Sunday reported 19 new cases, taking the number of people affected with the virus to 1,823. Karnataka reported 17 new cases and the total number of patients in the state stood at 564 - the third highest in the country.

The other cases were reported from Andhra Pradesh (8), Gujarat (5), Kerala (3), Haryana (2), West Bengal (1), Uttarakhand (1), Uttar Pradesh (1) and Chhattishgarh (1).

In Chandigarh, authorities asked doctors and paramedical staff to take extra precautions against swine flu after the virus affected some of them in government hospitals. Four doctors and two other staffers of the administrative department of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) and the Government Hospital in Chandigarh in Sector 32 have tested positive in the past. Besides, the daughter of a senior doctor also got infected with the virus.

According to health officials, 20 positive cases of swine flu have been detected in Chandigarh so far and of these over 25 percent are doctors and other members of the hospitals. However, no casualty has been reported so far from this disease in the region.

Swine flu vaccine successful, study show
A swine flu vaccine being tested for use in Britain has provided a ''strong immune response'' after just one dose, researchers have said. After initial success larger trials are now under way around the world involving up to more than 6,000 adults and children.
Scientists from the University of Leicester said they tested 100 healthy volunteers with a cell-based drug to see how their immune system responded. Trial leader Dr Iain Stephenson found 80 per cent of the volunteers showed a ''strong, potentially protective'' response after one dose, with more than 90 per cent showing the same response after two doses. He said: ''The results suggest that one vaccine dose may be sufficient to protect against A(H1N1) swine flu, rather than two.

Swine flu - The enemy is becoming visible

balajictriumphants@gmail.com (Medisite India) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 17:54:00 +0000

Dr. C. Balaji,
www.swinefluindiaa.com

Monitoring of outbreaks from different parts of the world provides sufficient information to make some conclusions about how pandemic might evolve in the coming months.
WHO is advising countries in the northern hemisphere to prepare for a second wave of pandemic spread. Countries with tropical climates like India, where the pandemic virus arrived later than elsewhere, also need to prepare for an increasing number of cases.

H1N1 now the dominant virus strain

H1N1 pandemic virus has rapidly established itself and is now the dominant influenza strain in most parts of the world. Studies have detected no signs that the virus has mutated to a more virulent or lethal form. Likewise, the clinical picture of pandemic influenza is largely consistent across all countries. Majority of patients experience mild illness while only a minority suffer from complications and death.

Drug resistance not yet a problem

Despite the administration of many millions of treatment courses of antiviral drugs only few instances of drug resistance has been encountered. These drug resistant strains have not yet showed any trend of onward transmission. WHO is monitoring the situation.

Difference from seasonal flu

Swine Flu is not exactly the same as seasonal Flu. To date, most severe cases and deaths have occurred in adults under the age of 50 years, with deaths in the elderly comparatively rare. But seasonal flu usually affects older persons.

Striking common complication

This swine flu virus when causes complications is directly infecting lungs. A peculiar trait of this virus to target lungs causing pneumonia is placing huge demands for highly specialized and demanding care in intensive care units, usually with long and costly stays. With the number of cases predicted to increase in near future preparedness measures need to anticipate this increased demand on intensive care units.

Swine flu is choosy

Swine flu is licking everyone but biting particular vulnerable groups. Certain medical conditions increase the risk of severe and fatal illness. These include respiratory disease, notably asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and immunosuppression, pregnancy. We need to be aware that many of these predisposing conditions like asthma have become much more widespread in recent decades, thus increasing the pool of vulnerable people. HIV coinfection is not considered a risk as long as people take HIV medications(ART)

Lessons for India

Disease is mild for most of us but not for everyone. Cases are going to increase since susceptible population is still present. Stopping its spread is difficult but appropriate hygiene, self protection measures can slow down the pace or else we might not be able to handle the increase burden of complicated cases requiring intensive care. Lessons for the government is increased preparedness for hospital care of complicated cases.

Reference: .. This is a review of recent release from WHO

Swine Flu India - News update for 6th September, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji K) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:23:00 +0000

Nine deaths takes India's swine flu toll to 125
Nine people, including six in Karnataka, died of swine flu in India Saturday, taking the country's toll from the infectious influenza A (H1N1) virus to 125, health authorities said. The death toll in Karnartaka has gone up to 41, second only to Maharashtra, which has seen 59 deaths. Six people have died of swine flu in Karnataka during last 24 hours. All of them had other health complications and also found positive for H1N1.
One death was reported from Maharashtra and two from Andhra Pradesh, where the toll has reached four, officials said.
The health ministry said 157 people tested positive for H1N1 Saturday, taking the total number of people affected in the country to 4,645 so far. Delhi reported 52 cases, Karnataka 16, Maharashtra 45, Tamil Nadu 28 and Uttar Pradesh six.

Swine Flu India- News Update for 5th September, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji K) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:09:00 +0000

India's swine flu deaths jump to 116
Five people died of swine flu in India Friday, taking the toll due to influenza A (H1N1) virus to 116, health authorities said here. While four deaths were reported from Bangalore, Karnataka, one person died in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
According to health authorities in Karnataka, the four deaths have taken the toll due to the H1N1 virus to 35 in the state. A 38-year-old woman died at a government hospital Tuesday. Three men aged 27, 41 and 31 years died Wednesday, Sunday and Tuesday respectively. However, their test reports arrived only Thursday, a health official said in Bangalore.

National Swine Flu Cases
As on Friday, the 4th of September, 2009. the total number of confirmed positive cases for Swine Flu in India stood at 4488 of which 124 cases were diagnised on Friday alone. According to the health ministry, most fresh cases today were reported from Tamil Nadu where 33 people tested positive.
Maharashtra, which tops the chart with the maximum swine flu deaths and cases in the country, reported 21 new cases, taking the total cases in the state so far to 1,759.
In the national capital, 50 swine flu cases, including 24 children, were reported, taking its total number of Influenza A (H1N1) cases to 772. However, the health ministry said only 15 cases were reported from the national capital. One patient was serious and under ventilation at the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital here, officials said. According to the state health ministry, of the fresh cases 15 have been admitted to various designated hospitals and the rest 35 are home-quarantined. 'These 50 identified cases include 24 cases of children. One male patient is critical in the RML Hospital and is on dialysis and on the ventilator,' Delhi Health Minister Kiran Walia said. She said that till date 772 cases have been reported in the city, of which 681 cases have been treated and discharged.
Walia also said that the situation is under control and the government is doing its best in providing treatment to swine flu patients in government hospitals. She advised people to visit the doctor at the earliest in case they exhibit any symptom of swine flu.
Fresh cases were also reported from Uttar Pradesh (30), Kerala (2), Haryana (1), Goa (1), West Bengal (1), Uttarakhand (1) and Jammu and Kashmir (1).

Serum Institute: Swine Flu Vaccine Set For Phase I Tests Nov
Serum Institute of India Ltd. expects the commercial launch of the swine flu vaccine by March 2010, its executive director said Friday. "We have received strains for developing the H1N1 vaccine, and expect commercial launch by February-March 2010," S.V. Kapre told reporters on the sidelines of an industry event in Mumbai.
Kapre said the vaccine - in which the company will invest between 800 million rupees ($16.4 million) and INR1 billion - will enter Phase I of toxicology tests in November.

Swine Flu - World scenario

balajictriumphants@gmail.com (Medisite India) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:11:00 +0000

The World Health Organization said Friday that 2,837 people have been reported as swine flu fatalities, as disease flows in various parts of the world.
The death toll is up at least 625 in the last week, from 2,185 published in last week's update from the UN health agency.
"There is no sense that the virus has mutated or changed in any sense," WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told a news briefing in Geneva. "We are continuing to see increased number of deaths because we are seeing many, many more cases."Hartl attributed the increase in the number of deaths to an overall rise in the number of people who have become infected with the H1N1 virus.
The number of laboratory-confirmed cases has reached 254,206, though the figure understates the actual number since countries are no longer required to report individual cases.
World status

India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia are reporting "increasing or sustained high levels of respiratory disease," and a few (Thailand and Brunei Darussalam) have begun to report a declining trend, the WHO's latest update said.

Countries in the equatorial and tropical regions of South America, such as Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, and parts of Brazil, continue to experience regional or widespread influenza activity, with many reporting an increasing trend in the level of respiratory diseases.

Widespread geographic activity is also reported in Central America and the Caribbean including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Cuba, but most of these countries are now reporting a declining trend, WHO said.

In the Northern Hemisphere, Japan continues to experience an early start to its annual flu season. Influenza activity remains "low overall" in Canada and the U.S., although a regional increase has been detected in the southeastern United States.

More cases are being seen in the U.S. as schools and colleges resume, Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Thursday.

Swine Flu India - News Update for 4th September, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Balaji K) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:51:00 +0000

Five more swine flu deaths take India's toll to 111

Five more swine flu deaths were reported Thursday, taking the toll due to influenza A(H1N1) virus to 111 in India, health authorities said here. Of the five deaths, three were reported from Karnataka alone, followed by one death each from Maharashtra and Gujarat. While all the three Karnataka deaths were in Bangalore, the other deaths were from Pune, declared an epidemic city, and Vadodara.

With Thursday's death in Pune, Maharashtra's death toll has jumped to 58, while Karnataka's toll has risen to 31 deaths, health authorities said. In Gujarat, nine people have died of the flu so far. Meanwhile, 166 fresh cases were reported in the country Thursday, taking the total number of people affected with the flu to 4,364.

Single-dose swine flu vaccine in the works

A single-dose H1N1 swine flu vaccine may soon happen. Contrary to what was earlier expected, the vaccine against H1N1 may not be multi-dose, as results from a pilot study of Novartis H1N1 candidate vaccine revealed a strong immune response after just one shot. The vaccine might be used in trials in India as well.

Scientists from the University of Leicester, who tested the vaccine on 100 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 50, found that more than 80% of the volunteers showed a strong, potentially protective immune response after one dose, with more than 90% showing the same response after two doses.

Let the virus spread - It will result in immunity

Influenza A (H1N1) is a mild viral strain. Though it is highly infectious, it has low mortality. It kills mostly those who have complications like pneumonia or underlying chronic diseases such as diabetes or asthma. Worldwide, swine flu mortality is 1 per cent. “Almost 10 per cent people exposed to H1N1 show no symptoms. 10 per cent show very mild symptoms. If we consider the death rate, it would be as low as 0.1 per cent. In India, it is even lower,” said Jayant Deodhar, paediatrician in Pune. Besides, the virus will spread and immunity will follow infection, said N S Deodhar, a renowned epidemiologist.

Infection now would lend immunity to fight the second wave of viral attack, expected in winter. But the second wave, if it strikes as per who prediction, could be mild, said a paper published in the Journal of American Medical Association. The research team analyzed 14 global pandemics in the past five centuries. The 2009 H1N1 virus is a descendant of two unrelated swine flu viruses, said researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, USA. They analyzed H1N1 against earlier pandemic flu viruses and found very little similarity. While this does not rule out that the virus may be lethal later, the study concludes there is nothing to worry for now.

Swine flu scare fails to deter devotees in bidding adieu to Ganpati

Despite the swine flu scare, devotees came out huge numbers to bid adieu to Lord Ganesh whose idols were taken out on camel carts and other vehicles for immersion on Thursday. Though over 25,000 big and small Ganesh idols were immersed in river Tapi, the Ganesh visharjan passed off peacefully.

"Swine flu cannot stop us from worshipping Lord Ganesh. I am here with my family since morning and we will go home after bidding adieu to the last Ganesh idol passing through Chowk Bazaar," said Praveen Patel, a shop owner from Athwalines.

The drizzle in the morning played spoilsport for a while. However, soon thousands of devotees converged on the streets for visarjan to pulsating beats of drums and chants of 'Ganpati bappa morya'. There was a long queue of Ganesh idols from Bhagal to Chowk Bazaar as devotees were moving slowly to the immersion points. Pavements on both sides of the roads were occupied by onlookers. Unlike previous year, this time around the devotees abstained from playing songs from Bollywood movies. Instead, devotees including children, women and elderly were seen dancing to religious songs.

One of the Key Herbs that Prevents and Treats Swine Flu

Ayurveda , India’s traditional 'science of life,' has the remedy for swine flu in the form of the basil leaves commonly known as Tulsi. Tulsi is well known in India for its remarkable healing properties. But the anti-flu property of Tulsi has been discovered by medical experts across the world quite recently. Tulsi improves your body's overall defense mechanism, including its ability to fight viral diseases. Apart from acting as a preventive medicine, Tulsi can also help a patient recover faster.

Cow Urine, Herbal Remedies Gain as India Swine Flu Deaths Climb

The rising death toll from swine flu in India is driving some people to buy remedies made of cow- urine extract, clarified butter and herbal potions to ward off the disease, as the government restricts Tamiflu and other drugs.

Since India reported its first swine flu death in the western city of Pune on Aug. 3, more than 100 people have died from the virus. The government is controlling access to Roche AG’s Tamiflu antiviral to ensure hospital supplies in case of an epidemic. Residents have switched to traditional Ayurvedic healing, used for hundreds of years to boost immunity, as well as unproven remedies being sold to take advantage of the outbreak, doctors say.

Swine Flu- Latest Update 4th September

balajictriumphants@gmail.com (Medisite India) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Swine Flu tested positive in 166 cases on 3rd September taking the total number of cases infected with Swine Flu to 4364. Highest numbers wetre recorded from Maharashtra -43, followed by Delhi & Tamilnadu 32 each.

Five deaths were reported from India today. Three from Karnataka ,one from Maharashtra & one from Gujrat taking the total death toll in India to 111.

Swine Flu -Influenza A H1N1 Status as on 3rd September 2009

Lab confirmed Cases on 3rd Sep.                                      166

Cumulative Lab confirmed Cases till 3rd Sep.                   4364

Deaths of Lab confirmed Cases on 3rd Sep.         5

Cumulative Deaths of Lab confirmed Cases till 3rd Sep.      111

Source-- MOHFW-GOI

single dose swine flu vaccine

balajictriumphants@gmail.com (Medisite India) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:07:00 +0000

Results from a pilot study of a swine flu vaccine revealed a "strong immune response'' after just one dose, researchers said today.

Scientists from the University of Leicester said they tested 100 healthy volunteers with a cell-based drug to see how their immune system responded.

Trial leader Dr Iain Stephenson found 80% of the volunteers showed a "strong, potentially protective'' response after one dose, with more than 90% showing the same response after two doses.

He said: "The results suggest that one vaccine dose may be sufficient to protect against A(H1N1) swine flu, rather than two.

"The aim of the trial was to find out how many doses and what type of vaccine is needed to give protection.

Larger trials are now under way around the world involving up to more than 6,000 adults and children.

This is great news for both Indian people and Indian government. India has allocated budget with two doses of requirement in mind. India plans to vaccinate 20 lakh healthcare and emergency services personnel against the deadly H1N1 virus by the end of January to start with, using an imported swine flu vaccine.

The health ministry has set aside Rs 100 crore as an interim budget to purchase these vaccines from any one the four international manufacturers -- Novartis, GSK, Sanofi Pasteur and Baxter -- whose candidates are presently undergoing human trials.

Dr Stephenson, from Leicester University's Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, said of his study: "Results showed that the serum antibody responses were highest among subjects who received two doses of vaccine, however a single vaccine dose also induced responses associated with protection against influenza.''

Just as China runs parallel tracks to western countries whether its economy or Olympics. Now its turn for the vaccine.Chinese health authorities have approved a vaccine that they say prevents swine flu with a single dose. Chinese vaccine maker Sinovac has been given the green light to mass produce the vaccine for the H1N1 flu strain.

The government has said it plans to have enough vaccine to cover 5% of the population by the end of the year.

But the point I like to impress is we are not going in a haste. People should not fear that vaccine produced in the west might behave differently to Indians. Government of India is not going to approve this vaccine unless studies in India is not conducted which these companies have accepted.