Swine Flu in J&K

9 samples airlifted to NICD, testing lab to come up at SKIMS

By Ravi Krishnan Khajuria

Tribune News Service

JAMMU, August 18:

Even as a young girl fully recovered from swine flu and four others showing signs of improvement, blood samples of nine more persons were airlifted to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) in New Delhi taking the total number of samples sent so far to 48.However, with three more students tested positive in Kashmir valley, the total number of H1N1 viral cases in Jammu and Kashmir has gone up to 12.

Jammu Division Epidemiologist Dr RS Charak told The Tribune that blood samples of nine more persons having symptoms of suspected H1N1 virus were sent to the NICD today taking the total number to 48.

So far we have received reports of 20 persons, out of which five, including 22-year old girl from Nanak Nagar, were tested positive, he said.The girl had been pursuing her business management studies from Pune where the fatal virus has inflicted maximum casualties.We now await results of 28 samples sent to the NICD from Jammu, said Dr Charak, adding we are in constant touch with the NICD authorities and the results were expected this evening.Four others, who were tested positive, had already been quarantined and put on Tamiflu. They continue to show signs of rapid improvement, he said.Meanwhile, the state government has expedited the process to set up a testing lab at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Soura so as to save time.Divisional Commissioner, Dr Pawan Kotwal told The Tribune that SKIMS has been identified for the purpose and the lab would be set up shortly.State government in consonance with the union health ministry has initiated the exercise, he added.Official sources said, SKIMS Soura has the requisite infrastructure to come up with the testing lab while Government Medical College here in the winter capital sans it and hence the government has now decided to set up one lab at SKIMS.The basic idea is to get the samples tested expeditiously and keep the contagious virus under check and hence one lab would not only serve the purpose but also it would be safe for the people, said a senior health official.