As its name suggests, Zinda Tilismath has cast a spell for decades. From sore throat to dysentery to toothache to common cold, it has always offered a ready remedy. Now in its 90 years of existence, the magic medicine is holding out hope of cure to swine flu patients, claims Syed Zaheeruddin and Owais Farooqui of Karkhana Zinda Tilismath at a press conference here on Thursday.
Its basic ingredient being eucalyptus oil, the Zinda Tilismath has proved effective when administered to swine flu patients at the Sassoon General Hospital, Pune. Encouraged by this positive response, the hospital authorities have planned to carry out clinical trials, they claimed. The reported commendation by former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajashekhara Reddy, on the efficacy of Zinda Tilismath to combat H1N1 virus has come as shot in the arm for the proprietors.
They have now proposed to offer it at concessional price to people attending religious congregations, including the ensuing Haj pilgrimage.
As part of its 90-year celebrations, the company has planned to launch Zinda Balm, throat lozenges and a tooth paste, Mr. Zaheeruddin said.
The Unani medicine launched by Hakeem Moizuddin Farooqui in 1920 is intended to be used both internally and externally. But why the black logo? The person armed with an arrow depicts boundless strength and good health. The ‘arrow’ indicates how the medicine enters the body and kills the germs.
For the Farooky tooth powder the ‘shark’ symbol was chosen since the shark is known for its sharp and strong teeth.
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Showing posts with label Swin flu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Swin flu. Show all posts
Monday, September 28, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Swine flu paranoia sends city into a tizzy
Even a few months ago, a runny nose or a bad cough was brushed aside with a shrug and at the most treated with some cough syrup. But thanks to the paranoia surrounding swine flu, the usual post-monsoon viral flu outbreak has sent the city into a tizzy! At the slightest sniffle or the first sign of a scratchy throat, paranoid Hyderabadis are rushing to the nearest hospital for a “thorough check up” and even a swine-flu screening.
Not a surprise then, that general physicians across the city are now wearing a hassled look. The docs are an overworked lot these days, admits Dr. Rajesh Chabra, a general physician. “symptoms like cough, cold and fever are similar to that of swine flu and people are assuming the worst.”
Recalling a curious case where one of his patients just refused to believe what he had contracted was a normal cold, he adds, “I had to hospitalise one of my patients because no amount of tests would convince him that he had a simple viral fever and not swine flu.” The 23-year-old software engineer left only after two days of hospitalisation and counselling.
his is not a one off case. Dr Dinakar of Mediciti Hospital had similar experiences. “Most patients arrive looking very perplexed and demand immediate hospitalisation and swab tests,” says the hassled doctor, adding, “A 40-year-old businessman, who had recently travelled to Mumbai, came down with a fever and was sanguine he had swine flu. He could be convinced to go home only after his fever came down four days later.”
joining the throng of people queuing up for tests are members of the city’s medical fraternity. “being in constant contact with infected people, doctors are now panicking at the first sign of a stuffy nose,” points out Dr Dinakar. What’s worse, the fact they are more aware of the symptoms only adds to their paranoia.
Trying to stem the hysteria, Dr Chabra points out the difference between the regular flu and the deadly variety. “Swine flu symptoms develop gradually and worsen slowly, unlike a regular viral fever,” he says, adding that even with swine flu there is no need to panic unless you fall under the ‘high risk’ category.
“If the person is not on steroids, pregnant, a diabetic, or has advanced organ diseases, the paranoia is unwarranted.”
Not a surprise then, that general physicians across the city are now wearing a hassled look. The docs are an overworked lot these days, admits Dr. Rajesh Chabra, a general physician. “symptoms like cough, cold and fever are similar to that of swine flu and people are assuming the worst.”
Recalling a curious case where one of his patients just refused to believe what he had contracted was a normal cold, he adds, “I had to hospitalise one of my patients because no amount of tests would convince him that he had a simple viral fever and not swine flu.” The 23-year-old software engineer left only after two days of hospitalisation and counselling.
his is not a one off case. Dr Dinakar of Mediciti Hospital had similar experiences. “Most patients arrive looking very perplexed and demand immediate hospitalisation and swab tests,” says the hassled doctor, adding, “A 40-year-old businessman, who had recently travelled to Mumbai, came down with a fever and was sanguine he had swine flu. He could be convinced to go home only after his fever came down four days later.”
joining the throng of people queuing up for tests are members of the city’s medical fraternity. “being in constant contact with infected people, doctors are now panicking at the first sign of a stuffy nose,” points out Dr Dinakar. What’s worse, the fact they are more aware of the symptoms only adds to their paranoia.
Trying to stem the hysteria, Dr Chabra points out the difference between the regular flu and the deadly variety. “Swine flu symptoms develop gradually and worsen slowly, unlike a regular viral fever,” he says, adding that even with swine flu there is no need to panic unless you fall under the ‘high risk’ category.
“If the person is not on steroids, pregnant, a diabetic, or has advanced organ diseases, the paranoia is unwarranted.”
Swin flu, Swin flu, Swin flu, Swinflu in india, hyderabad city
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
A(H1N1): general practitioners need to be sensitised
Worried over the increasing number of A(H1N1) deaths in the State, experts in the frontline of combating the disease now feel that general practitioners should be sensitised on how to identify A(H1N1) symptoms in patients and provide them timely treatment.
“The role of general practitioners is important now because treatment can be effective only if it is started on time. Tamiflu, the only anti-viral drug for A(H1N1) can be effective only if it is administered within 48 hours of the person developing symptoms. It is dangerous to lose even one day because the patient might develop pneumonia and related complications,” Shashidhar Buggi, Director of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD), said.
Citing the example of his daughter, Arundathi Buggi, who had tested positive for the flu and was successfully treated, Dr. Buggi said: “None of the 2,700 and odd patients who visited our institute for screening and were administered Tamiflu came back to us with complications. All those who died in RGICD were those who had gone to other hospitals before and came to us in the last stage.”
Medical Director of Lakeside Hospital H. Paramesh said the deaths were occurring because the virus has a tendency to spread rapidly. “There have been cases wherein the patient has developed pneumonia within 24 hours of getting infected. The death of a techie in our hospital is one classic case. This person, who was hale and hearty before he got infected, died within five days of getting the virus,” he said.
But at least two patients, who had reported to the hospital in the last stage when there were no hopes of their survival, are on the road to recovery.
While an 18-month-old baby from Dharwad was successfully treated and discharged from the hospital a week ago, another 40-year-old woman from Haveri is recovering.
The woman was brought to the hospital 10 days ago. “She had developed bilateral pneumonia and her lungs were in a bad shape. She was on the ventilator for almost 10 days and we had lost hopes. She is recovering now and we have removed the ventilator. She will be discharged soon,” he said.
“The patients themselves are aware now. If their symptoms continue for more than two days, they ask the doctor whether it is A(H1N1), who in turn does not want to take any chance. They are referred to bigger hospitals,” he added.
Although no deaths were reported on Monday and the death toll remains 64, 14 more persons tested positive for the disease taking the total number of confirmed cases to 774. While 13 of the fresh cases are from Bangalore, one is from Belgaum.
bangalore news, Swin flu, Swinflu in india, Swinflu news from india, Swin flu,
“The role of general practitioners is important now because treatment can be effective only if it is started on time. Tamiflu, the only anti-viral drug for A(H1N1) can be effective only if it is administered within 48 hours of the person developing symptoms. It is dangerous to lose even one day because the patient might develop pneumonia and related complications,” Shashidhar Buggi, Director of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD), said.
Citing the example of his daughter, Arundathi Buggi, who had tested positive for the flu and was successfully treated, Dr. Buggi said: “None of the 2,700 and odd patients who visited our institute for screening and were administered Tamiflu came back to us with complications. All those who died in RGICD were those who had gone to other hospitals before and came to us in the last stage.”
Medical Director of Lakeside Hospital H. Paramesh said the deaths were occurring because the virus has a tendency to spread rapidly. “There have been cases wherein the patient has developed pneumonia within 24 hours of getting infected. The death of a techie in our hospital is one classic case. This person, who was hale and hearty before he got infected, died within five days of getting the virus,” he said.
But at least two patients, who had reported to the hospital in the last stage when there were no hopes of their survival, are on the road to recovery.
While an 18-month-old baby from Dharwad was successfully treated and discharged from the hospital a week ago, another 40-year-old woman from Haveri is recovering.
The woman was brought to the hospital 10 days ago. “She had developed bilateral pneumonia and her lungs were in a bad shape. She was on the ventilator for almost 10 days and we had lost hopes. She is recovering now and we have removed the ventilator. She will be discharged soon,” he said.
“The patients themselves are aware now. If their symptoms continue for more than two days, they ask the doctor whether it is A(H1N1), who in turn does not want to take any chance. They are referred to bigger hospitals,” he added.
Although no deaths were reported on Monday and the death toll remains 64, 14 more persons tested positive for the disease taking the total number of confirmed cases to 774. While 13 of the fresh cases are from Bangalore, one is from Belgaum.
bangalore news, Swin flu, Swinflu in india, Swinflu news from india, Swin flu,
Monday, September 14, 2009
Three more die of A(H1N1) in Bangalore
Three more A(HINI)-related deaths were reported in the State on Sunday taking the number of people who have died of the flu to 64.
Those who died on Sunday are a five-year-old boy in Gulbarga, a 60-year-old man in Kolar and a 29-year-old woman in Bangalore.
bangalore news, Swin flu, Swinflu, Swinflu in india, Swinflu news from india,
Those who died on Sunday are a five-year-old boy in Gulbarga, a 60-year-old man in Kolar and a 29-year-old woman in Bangalore.
bangalore news, Swin flu, Swinflu, Swinflu in india, Swinflu news from india,
Friday, August 28, 2009
Britain receives first doses of swine flu vaccine
Britain has received a first batch of 100,000 doses of swine flu vaccine, which still have to be licensed before being used on patients, the Department of Health said on Thursday.
The vaccine was delivered by US pharmaceutical company Baxter, but "hasn't been through the licensing process yet," said a spokeswoman, adding that it could be approved by early October "if everything is fairly straightforward." Once it is fully licensed, the vaccine will initially be used on at-risk groups, such as people with asthma and diabetes, officials added.
England's Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson said doctors he had spoken to want the vaccine as soon as possible, ahead of an expected second wave of infection as the northern hemisphere winter approaches. Polls of doctors and nurses have suggested they are reluctant to be vaccinated, over fears that it has been insufficiently tested.
Britain is Europe's hardest hit country by the virus, which emerged in Mexico before escalating into a global pandemic. So far 66 people with the virus have died. Donaldson stressed that the vast majority of cases produce relatively mild symptoms, while adding: "It still remains the case that this disease is not a killer but it can kill."
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The vaccine was delivered by US pharmaceutical company Baxter, but "hasn't been through the licensing process yet," said a spokeswoman, adding that it could be approved by early October "if everything is fairly straightforward." Once it is fully licensed, the vaccine will initially be used on at-risk groups, such as people with asthma and diabetes, officials added.
England's Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson said doctors he had spoken to want the vaccine as soon as possible, ahead of an expected second wave of infection as the northern hemisphere winter approaches. Polls of doctors and nurses have suggested they are reluctant to be vaccinated, over fears that it has been insufficiently tested.
Britain is Europe's hardest hit country by the virus, which emerged in Mexico before escalating into a global pandemic. So far 66 people with the virus have died. Donaldson stressed that the vast majority of cases produce relatively mild symptoms, while adding: "It still remains the case that this disease is not a killer but it can kill."
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Delhi pvt labs begin swine flu tests
Private labs opened their doors to swine flu testing on Thursday, giving Delhiites an alternative to government-run screening centres
for detecting the disease. Three private labs have begun testing for the flu while another is expected to launch the facility from Friday.
The city government on Thursday gave permission to the fourth private lab - Super Religare Laboratories (SRL) - to test for H1N1 influenza, triggering a price war of sorts. SRL has priced the test at half of what the other three approved labs are charging.
The state health department is working out a mechanism for reporting positive H1N1 cases discovered by these labs. Meanwhile, these private centres have started collecting samples for testing. One lab, Auroprobe, began on Wednesday itself when it collected four samples. On Thursday, Auroprobe collected close to 20 samples, Dang's lab had eight and SRL got 4-5 samples. Dr Lal's pathlab will start from Friday. All four labs are promising results within 48 hours.
The three labs approved for testing on Tuesday had unanimously decided to charge Rs 9,000 flat for the test. But SRL announced that it would do the same test for Rs 4,500. ``It is a national emergency and we can't be fighting over the cost of the test. The test is expensive, as the reagents, testing kits and other material are imported and we are not exempted from custom duty. It is costing us close to Rs 8,000 or more,'' said Dr Navin Dang, director, Dr Dang's Lab.
According to sources in AIIMS, it costs the government around Rs 4,000-Rs 5,000 for each test. ``The custom duty on reagents, enzymes, testing kits etc used by us is less as compared to what private labs have to pay. The cost is high as the material used in testing is very expensive. The cost of the test is also high because we have to test for at least four factors - influenza A, swine A, swine H1 and RnT,'' said a senior doctor at AIIMS.
On being asked about the drastic difference in pricing, Dr Sanjeev Choudhry, CEO, SRL, said, ``Profit margins in these tests are very low. Our price is low as we are buying the reagents and kits in large quantities. Our testing capacity is also more and there are several other factors that affect the cost of any test.'' Choudhry said SRL would soon press 10 mobile vans into service for collecting samples.
The other three labs say that they are not likely to bring down the cost of the test any further. ``When it is costing the government close to Rs 5,000, how can it cost the private sector less? We have worked out the price after much debate and can't bring it down further,'' said Dr Arvind Lal, chairman and managing director, Dr Lal's Pathlabs.
Said Dr Nimrat Bawa, director, Auroprobe lab, which is offering home collection service, ``Our people have to wear personal protection equipment while taking the sample. If we collect samples from home, the PPE has to be discarded after taking one sample. There is no way that we can bring down the cost.''
The state health department, meanwhile, is concerned about the reporting mechanism of positive cases found by these labs. On Thursday, a 80-year-old woman who was admitted at Max hospital in Saket, tested positive for H1N1 influenza. Her sample was tested at Auroprobe lab. She was shifted to RML hospital late at night. The state health department is working out a way to ensure that positive cases from these labs are sent to government hospitals for treatment.
``We have to address this problem. At present, private hospitals are not allowed to keep any swine flu patient. Now that these labs will be testing samples, we will ask them to advice the patient to go to a government hospital. It is the government hospital doctor who will decide whether the patient needs hospital admission or can stay in home quarantine,'' said Kiran Walia, Delhi's health
minister.
The health department also plans to increase the strength of its tracking teams. ``We have asked these private labs to report positive cases to us and our teams will then visit patient. We are thinking of increasing the strength of our tracking team. It is clear that private hospital doctors can't treat swine flu patients,'' said Walia.
for detecting the disease. Three private labs have begun testing for the flu while another is expected to launch the facility from Friday.
The city government on Thursday gave permission to the fourth private lab - Super Religare Laboratories (SRL) - to test for H1N1 influenza, triggering a price war of sorts. SRL has priced the test at half of what the other three approved labs are charging.
The state health department is working out a mechanism for reporting positive H1N1 cases discovered by these labs. Meanwhile, these private centres have started collecting samples for testing. One lab, Auroprobe, began on Wednesday itself when it collected four samples. On Thursday, Auroprobe collected close to 20 samples, Dang's lab had eight and SRL got 4-5 samples. Dr Lal's pathlab will start from Friday. All four labs are promising results within 48 hours.
The three labs approved for testing on Tuesday had unanimously decided to charge Rs 9,000 flat for the test. But SRL announced that it would do the same test for Rs 4,500. ``It is a national emergency and we can't be fighting over the cost of the test. The test is expensive, as the reagents, testing kits and other material are imported and we are not exempted from custom duty. It is costing us close to Rs 8,000 or more,'' said Dr Navin Dang, director, Dr Dang's Lab.
According to sources in AIIMS, it costs the government around Rs 4,000-Rs 5,000 for each test. ``The custom duty on reagents, enzymes, testing kits etc used by us is less as compared to what private labs have to pay. The cost is high as the material used in testing is very expensive. The cost of the test is also high because we have to test for at least four factors - influenza A, swine A, swine H1 and RnT,'' said a senior doctor at AIIMS.
On being asked about the drastic difference in pricing, Dr Sanjeev Choudhry, CEO, SRL, said, ``Profit margins in these tests are very low. Our price is low as we are buying the reagents and kits in large quantities. Our testing capacity is also more and there are several other factors that affect the cost of any test.'' Choudhry said SRL would soon press 10 mobile vans into service for collecting samples.
The other three labs say that they are not likely to bring down the cost of the test any further. ``When it is costing the government close to Rs 5,000, how can it cost the private sector less? We have worked out the price after much debate and can't bring it down further,'' said Dr Arvind Lal, chairman and managing director, Dr Lal's Pathlabs.
Said Dr Nimrat Bawa, director, Auroprobe lab, which is offering home collection service, ``Our people have to wear personal protection equipment while taking the sample. If we collect samples from home, the PPE has to be discarded after taking one sample. There is no way that we can bring down the cost.''
The state health department, meanwhile, is concerned about the reporting mechanism of positive cases found by these labs. On Thursday, a 80-year-old woman who was admitted at Max hospital in Saket, tested positive for H1N1 influenza. Her sample was tested at Auroprobe lab. She was shifted to RML hospital late at night. The state health department is working out a way to ensure that positive cases from these labs are sent to government hospitals for treatment.
``We have to address this problem. At present, private hospitals are not allowed to keep any swine flu patient. Now that these labs will be testing samples, we will ask them to advice the patient to go to a government hospital. It is the government hospital doctor who will decide whether the patient needs hospital admission or can stay in home quarantine,'' said Kiran Walia, Delhi's health
minister.
The health department also plans to increase the strength of its tracking teams. ``We have asked these private labs to report positive cases to us and our teams will then visit patient. We are thinking of increasing the strength of our tracking team. It is clear that private hospital doctors can't treat swine flu patients,'' said Walia.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
7 new cases of swine flu in AP
Seven confirmed cases of swine flu were reported from Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, a health official said here.
With this, the total number of H1N1 infections in the state has shot up to 116, Ms Jayakumari, the district health and medical officer (DHMO) said here.
She said 92 samples were tested on Tuesday. Twenty-three confirmed cases are undergoing treatment in various hospitals.
Meanwhile, Mr S.V. Prasad, the superintendent of the AP Chest Hospital, said of the seven new positive cases, four have been admitted to the government-run medical facility. This includes a two-year-old girl and her 34-year-old father, Mr Prasad said.
A 26-year-old critically ill H1N1 patient, undergoing treatment at the hospital, is recovering, he added.
With this, the total number of H1N1 infections in the state has shot up to 116, Ms Jayakumari, the district health and medical officer (DHMO) said here.
She said 92 samples were tested on Tuesday. Twenty-three confirmed cases are undergoing treatment in various hospitals.
Meanwhile, Mr S.V. Prasad, the superintendent of the AP Chest Hospital, said of the seven new positive cases, four have been admitted to the government-run medical facility. This includes a two-year-old girl and her 34-year-old father, Mr Prasad said.
A 26-year-old critically ill H1N1 patient, undergoing treatment at the hospital, is recovering, he added.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
3 more die of swine flu, death toll crosses 50
Three more persons, including one in worst-hit Pune, succumbed to the swine flu on Saturday, pushing the country-wide fatalities from
the HINI pandemic to 51.
A death each occurred in Pune, Tamil Nadu and Goa with four more testing positive for the virus in Assam even as close to 2,600 patients were undergoing treatment across the country.
With a 60-year-old man succumbing to the disease in Pune in Maharashtra, the city recorded its 20th swine flu death.
All educational institutions in Pune, which reported its first fatality on August 3, had been shut for the past one week to prevent the spread of the infection.
The flu claimed its third victim in Tamil Nadu when a 45-year-old man died at the government hospital in Chennai.
The man, whose throat swabs tested positive on August 19, was admitted to the hospital on August 12 with complaints of breathlessness and bleeding piles.
A 67-year-old man, suspected to be suffering from the swine flu, died at a private hospital in Goa, health officials in state capital Panaji said.
Shiva Murthy, who arrived from Bangalore yesterday, was admitted to the hospital with high fever, they said adding he breathed his last this morning.
His throat swabs had been sent for HINI testing to Delhi and the reports were awaited, the officials said.
Courtesy:TOI
the HINI pandemic to 51.
A death each occurred in Pune, Tamil Nadu and Goa with four more testing positive for the virus in Assam even as close to 2,600 patients were undergoing treatment across the country.
With a 60-year-old man succumbing to the disease in Pune in Maharashtra, the city recorded its 20th swine flu death.
All educational institutions in Pune, which reported its first fatality on August 3, had been shut for the past one week to prevent the spread of the infection.
The flu claimed its third victim in Tamil Nadu when a 45-year-old man died at the government hospital in Chennai.
The man, whose throat swabs tested positive on August 19, was admitted to the hospital on August 12 with complaints of breathlessness and bleeding piles.
A 67-year-old man, suspected to be suffering from the swine flu, died at a private hospital in Goa, health officials in state capital Panaji said.
Shiva Murthy, who arrived from Bangalore yesterday, was admitted to the hospital with high fever, they said adding he breathed his last this morning.
His throat swabs had been sent for HINI testing to Delhi and the reports were awaited, the officials said.
Courtesy:TOI
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
‘No need for panic buying of masks’
There was no need for panic buying of surgical masks and not every person going on the street needs to wear it, said Dr. Lavanya Nutan Kalva, who heads the infectious diseases wing at Apollo hospitals here.
With scores of people, including school children wearing the protective masks in the wake of the spread of A (H1N1) influenza virus, she said that family members of swine flu patients, first care providers, doctors and patients need to protect themselves and not others.
There was no need for students in schools and colleges to wear the masks.
But there was an absolute need to provide good ventilation in the classrooms as the virus would circulate longer in the air in a closed room if a sick child sneezes or coughs. “ It is the intensity of the exposure and the period of exposure that matters. A good flow of air reduces viral burden,” Dr. Lavanya added.
Besides, most of the time, the surgical masks get moist around the lips and nose and they fail to give adequate protection at that point of time.
Also, a mask once removed for drinking tea or coffee must not be re-used.
She said that covering nose and mouth with a handkerchief would not be helpful either.
However, the surgical masks were good in protecting against droplet infections like the ones caused by A (H1N1) influenza virus, where the size of particle was greater than 10 microns.
Air-borne isolation masks like N-95 were useful in protecting against particles of five microns and less in size. She reiterated that no parent should send a sick child with flu-like symptoms to school.
A person must return to school or work only there were no symptoms for at least for 24 hours, she said.
With scores of people, including school children wearing the protective masks in the wake of the spread of A (H1N1) influenza virus, she said that family members of swine flu patients, first care providers, doctors and patients need to protect themselves and not others.
There was no need for students in schools and colleges to wear the masks.
But there was an absolute need to provide good ventilation in the classrooms as the virus would circulate longer in the air in a closed room if a sick child sneezes or coughs. “ It is the intensity of the exposure and the period of exposure that matters. A good flow of air reduces viral burden,” Dr. Lavanya added.
Besides, most of the time, the surgical masks get moist around the lips and nose and they fail to give adequate protection at that point of time.
Also, a mask once removed for drinking tea or coffee must not be re-used.
She said that covering nose and mouth with a handkerchief would not be helpful either.
However, the surgical masks were good in protecting against droplet infections like the ones caused by A (H1N1) influenza virus, where the size of particle was greater than 10 microns.
Air-borne isolation masks like N-95 were useful in protecting against particles of five microns and less in size. She reiterated that no parent should send a sick child with flu-like symptoms to school.
A person must return to school or work only there were no symptoms for at least for 24 hours, she said.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Indian dies of swine flu in Saudi Arabia
Saudi health authorities have announced three new swine flu deaths, including of an Indian expatriate, taking the country's toll to 14.
The three included a Saudi woman of 28 and a Saudi girl of 11, both of whom died on Friday, and the Indian expatriate man who died Thursday, the health ministry said.
The ministry said that the spread of the A(H1N1) flu virus remains relatively slow and that fatalities are low in the country. Official infection figures have not been updated for nearly two weeks but reports put them over 700.
Saudi Arabia has been stepping up surveillance and treatment activities with the approach of the holy month of Ramadan, when normally hundreds of thousands of foreign Muslims arrive in the country to undertake the umrah minor pilgrimage to Mecca.
But hotels in the Mecca region are reporting large cancellations due to the fear of flu. Iran, Iraq and Egypt have all announced restrictions on who can travel for umrah, and the Saudi government has discouraged the elderly and children from coming.
Meanwhile Saudi King Abdullah has ordered that all cases of swine flu be treated for free, whether for Saudis or foreigners.
The three included a Saudi woman of 28 and a Saudi girl of 11, both of whom died on Friday, and the Indian expatriate man who died Thursday, the health ministry said.
The ministry said that the spread of the A(H1N1) flu virus remains relatively slow and that fatalities are low in the country. Official infection figures have not been updated for nearly two weeks but reports put them over 700.
Saudi Arabia has been stepping up surveillance and treatment activities with the approach of the holy month of Ramadan, when normally hundreds of thousands of foreign Muslims arrive in the country to undertake the umrah minor pilgrimage to Mecca.
But hotels in the Mecca region are reporting large cancellations due to the fear of flu. Iran, Iraq and Egypt have all announced restrictions on who can travel for umrah, and the Saudi government has discouraged the elderly and children from coming.
Meanwhile Saudi King Abdullah has ordered that all cases of swine flu be treated for free, whether for Saudis or foreigners.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
India's swine flu toll goes down, not up!
In a bizarre turn of events, India's official death toll from H1N1 went down on Friday despite two people dying due to swine flu during the day. That's because a trigger-happy administration had wrongly ascribed three deaths in Pune on Wednesday and Thursday to the virus without waiting for the test results.
At a time when every death is adding to a sense of panic in Pune, in particular, and the country at large, you would think this could not happen. But it did. Pune district collector Chandrakant Dalvi formally announced on Friday that the toll in the city was down from 15 to 12: ``The throat swab reports of the three — Gautam Shelar (48 years), Swabhiman Kamble (9 months) and Bharati Goel (70 years) — have tested negative for H1N1 influenza. Therefore, they won't be considered as casualties of H1N1 influenza. And the death toll of the H1N1 viral infection in the city has come down to 12,'' he said.
As a result, the national toll, which had officially reached 24 by late afternoon on Friday, fell to 21 by the evening, one short of the figure when the day began.
The health authorities had earlier included these three in the H1N1 death toll reported from Pune on the grounds that they were suffering either from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or severe breathlessness, symptoms often associated with an H1N1 infection.
``All three had died before the throat swab reports were given by the National Institute of Virology (NIV). Hence they were considered as suspected H1N1 death cases. But now since their throat swabs have tested negative, we can not count them as casualties of H1N1 influenza,'' said Dalvi.
Even the Centre did not bother to confirm whether these cases had indeed tested positive. A ministry official currently camped in Pune told TOI: ``It was a mistake locally. The information that reached the Centre mentioned them as H1N1 deaths. The emergency medical relief control room in charge of keeping a tab on positive cases and deaths went by what the state told them,'' he said.
Joint director of state health services, Ashok Ladda, said, ``As per the new guidelines, any suspected case having ARDS or severe breathlessness is given Tamiflu tablets. We followed the treatment guidelines and had put them on Tamiflu along with other supportive medicines.'' He failed to explain why this should have led to their being automatically counted among the victims of swine flu.
NIV director A C Mishra explained, ``As the NIV is receiving throat swabs in bulk, over 600 on any given day, it is becoming increasingly difficult to carry out testing of all the samples the same day. Hence, as per the new testing protocol, any patient suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome or severe breathlessness is administered Tamilfu without waiting for the throat swab report. Administering Tamiflu to such a patient whose throat swab report is awaited, does not mean that he or she is positive.'' Clearly this elementary fact was lost on those responsible for keeping count.
At a time when every death is adding to a sense of panic in Pune, in particular, and the country at large, you would think this could not happen. But it did. Pune district collector Chandrakant Dalvi formally announced on Friday that the toll in the city was down from 15 to 12: ``The throat swab reports of the three — Gautam Shelar (48 years), Swabhiman Kamble (9 months) and Bharati Goel (70 years) — have tested negative for H1N1 influenza. Therefore, they won't be considered as casualties of H1N1 influenza. And the death toll of the H1N1 viral infection in the city has come down to 12,'' he said.
As a result, the national toll, which had officially reached 24 by late afternoon on Friday, fell to 21 by the evening, one short of the figure when the day began.
The health authorities had earlier included these three in the H1N1 death toll reported from Pune on the grounds that they were suffering either from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or severe breathlessness, symptoms often associated with an H1N1 infection.
``All three had died before the throat swab reports were given by the National Institute of Virology (NIV). Hence they were considered as suspected H1N1 death cases. But now since their throat swabs have tested negative, we can not count them as casualties of H1N1 influenza,'' said Dalvi.
Even the Centre did not bother to confirm whether these cases had indeed tested positive. A ministry official currently camped in Pune told TOI: ``It was a mistake locally. The information that reached the Centre mentioned them as H1N1 deaths. The emergency medical relief control room in charge of keeping a tab on positive cases and deaths went by what the state told them,'' he said.
Joint director of state health services, Ashok Ladda, said, ``As per the new guidelines, any suspected case having ARDS or severe breathlessness is given Tamiflu tablets. We followed the treatment guidelines and had put them on Tamiflu along with other supportive medicines.'' He failed to explain why this should have led to their being automatically counted among the victims of swine flu.
NIV director A C Mishra explained, ``As the NIV is receiving throat swabs in bulk, over 600 on any given day, it is becoming increasingly difficult to carry out testing of all the samples the same day. Hence, as per the new testing protocol, any patient suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome or severe breathlessness is administered Tamilfu without waiting for the throat swab report. Administering Tamiflu to such a patient whose throat swab report is awaited, does not mean that he or she is positive.'' Clearly this elementary fact was lost on those responsible for keeping count.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Indian natural herb Tulsi to fight back swine flu
Ayurveda, the traditional 'science of life', has a remedy for diseases when every other stream of medicine fails. Now, at a time when swine flu is spreading like wildfire across the world, Ayurveda has the remedy in the form of the miraculous herb, the basil leaves commonly known as Tulsi.
Tulsi, the purest and most sublime plant, has been known and worshipped in India for more than five millennia for its remarkable healing properties. Considered as an 'Elixir of Life', this wonder herb has now been claimed to keep the deadly swine flu at bay and help fast recovery in afflicted persons.
"The anti-flu property of Tulsi has been discovered by medical experts across the world quite recently. Tulsi improves the body's overall defence mechanism including its ability to fight viral diseases. It was successfully used in combating Japanese Encephalitis and the same theory applies to swine flu," Dr U K Tiwari, a herbal medicine practitioner says.
Apart from acting as a preventive medicine in case of swine flu, Tulsi can help the patient recover faster.
"Even when a person has already contracted swine flu, Tulsi can help in speeding up the recovery process and also help in strengthening the immune system of the body," he claims.
Dr Bhupesh Patel, a lecturer at Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar is also of the view that Tulsi can play an important role in controlling swine flu.
"Tulsi can control swine flu and it should be taken in fresh form. Juice or paste of at least 20-25 medium sized leaves should be consumed twice a day on an empty stomach." This increases the resistance of the body and, thereby, reduces the chances of inviting swine flu," believes Patel.
As its name suggests, Tulsi has again proved to be the 'the incomparable' medicine - this time, in the prevention and cure of swine flu.
The symptoms of the H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with novel H1N1 flu virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. The high risk groups for novel H1N1 flu are not known at this time, but it's possible that they may be the same as for seasonal influenza. However, Please consult a practitioner in case of any such symptoms. Doctors have strictly advised against self medication.
http://www.in.com
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Maharashtra boy becomes India's 15th swine flu victim
A Maharashtra schoolboy succumbed to swine flu just hours after three others in the state died of the same disease on Wednesday morning,officials said. With these deaths, the toll due to the viral infection has risen to 11 in the state and 15 in the country.
Babu Genu Kuland died in the Sassoon Hospital here at about 11am. The resident of Pimpri town, near Pune, was hospitalised three days ago in serious condition, according to Pune Minicipal Corporation (health department) chief SR Pardeshi.
Another Pimpri resident, Sanjay Mistry, 35, died in Sassoon Hospital early on Wednesday. He was hospitalised Sunday in a critical condition and put on a ventilator, according to an official of the state swine flu control room.
Barely hours after Mistry succumbed to the influenza A (H1N1) infection, Shravani Deshpande, 29, died of the same disease.
Deshpande breathed her last around 3am. She had been hospitalised here three days ago with pneumonia and later found to be suffering from swine flu. She was then put on ventilator.
Rakesh Gargunde, a medico in Nashik Civil Hospital, also succumbed to swine flu around 3am., said civil surgeon AD Bhal Singh.
Gargunde was admitted to hospital in an unconscious state two days ago and put on a ventilator. The test report confirming that he had swine flu was received by the hospital late Tuesday night.
The deceased Dr Rupesh Gangurde was admitted to a private hospital on Monday after he complained of vomiting, cough and fever, Maharashtra Minister of State for Health, Dr Shobha Bachav, told reporters here.
Two more suspected flu patients -- Vinod Borkul (21) and Rishikesh Kulkarni (26) -- have been admitted to the hospital.
While Borkul has tested negative for the viral infection, Kulkarni's report is still awaited.
Earlier, five people in Pune, two in Mumbai, two in Gujarat, one each in Tamil Nadu and Kerala had died of swine flu.
Courtesy:TOI
Bright side of Swine flu
Image courtesy: Reuters
The last time you had a fight with your boyfriend, it ended on “Get out of my life you swine flu.” Oops! Where did that come from?
No one and we mean no one is untouched today by swine flu. Don’t get us wrong – we only mean to say the news has left everyone full of fear.
As for the precautions, symptoms and other factors related to swine flu, you have been bombarded with enough. We won’t bother you with all that.
Let’s throw some light on the bright side of Swine flu and replace fear with laughter.
Excuse No 1
You pick up your phone to tell your boss you are not coming. You’ve killed your grandmother twice in the last four months. What’s it this time? Swine flu comes to the rescue.
No, you don’t have to rely on H1N1. Just that you have a bad cold and cough. That makes you a potential transporter or taker of the disease. We bet your boss will tell you to stay at home for the entire week.
Daily dose of humour
You log onto your favourite movie spoof website, and what do you see today? Jack Nicholson standing next to a swine! And the poster says “Swine flew over the cuckoo’s nest’. You mailbox is full of funny quotes and pictures on Swine flu.
Just imagine the potential these two words have, to generate infinite sources of humour and laughter all around the world.
Care to share
You buy your favourite soft drink, only to realise your friends finish it off. And that too in the name of sharing and caring! No ways! This is your chance. Refuse to share your cigarette or food with them and the reason is simple.
It helps spread the virus. No more sharing from now on.
The mask of H1N1
Masked people all around make you wonder, what’s the big deal! Think about it. This is the best time to carry off a mask in style, keeping not flu, but many other issues like pollution and dirt away.
Kids have time to play
Fear psychosis had led to schools being shut for over a week. Finally, the kids get some time to play, away from the burdens of school bags and books.
Just look at your child playing football with a grand smile on his face. Swine Flu…Jai Ho.
Picnic time
Your office is shut for a week and your kid’s school as well. Still looking for a reason to go out on a vacation? Head out with your family and spend some quality time with them, with no worries about professional obligations. Just don’t forget to thank swine flu.
That’s for the funny bit. On a serious note, just stay healthy, and take some precautions to keep yourself and your loved ones away from swine flu.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
‘Tamiflu can have bad side-effects on children’
Consumers in India will soon be able to buy anti-flu drug oseltamivir (marketed as Tamiflu by Swiss company Roche) from retail stores, with the
government planning to lift the ban on retail sales. However, researchers at Oxford University have questioned the safety of the drug for children. They found in a study that it caused vomiting, dehydration and other complications in about 5% of cases among children aged between one and 12 years.
While the drug provided a small benefit by shortening the duration of illness in children with seasonal influenza and reducing household transmission, it was found to have little effect on asthma flare-ups, says the study published in British Medical Journal.
Researchers have clearly said that the harmful effects of Tamiflu and Relenza — another commonly used anti-viral drug — far outweigh their benefits and the results found for seasonal flu would apply for H1N1 too. The way out, they say, is to limit Tamiflu use, especially in children, to serious cases.
Indian doctors say this is the latest in a long series of questions raised about the H1N1 ‘‘wonder drug’’. Earlier, another study had reported that Tamiflu caused nausea and nightmares in children.
Said AIIMS professor of medicine Dr Randeep Guleria: ‘‘There have been other reports. In Japan, it was found to cause neuro-psychiatric manifestations like suicidal tendencies in patients. The drug’s literature, I believe, mentions this. That’s why we have been constantly warning against indiscriminate use.”
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
government planning to lift the ban on retail sales. However, researchers at Oxford University have questioned the safety of the drug for children. They found in a study that it caused vomiting, dehydration and other complications in about 5% of cases among children aged between one and 12 years.
While the drug provided a small benefit by shortening the duration of illness in children with seasonal influenza and reducing household transmission, it was found to have little effect on asthma flare-ups, says the study published in British Medical Journal.
Researchers have clearly said that the harmful effects of Tamiflu and Relenza — another commonly used anti-viral drug — far outweigh their benefits and the results found for seasonal flu would apply for H1N1 too. The way out, they say, is to limit Tamiflu use, especially in children, to serious cases.
Indian doctors say this is the latest in a long series of questions raised about the H1N1 ‘‘wonder drug’’. Earlier, another study had reported that Tamiflu caused nausea and nightmares in children.
Said AIIMS professor of medicine Dr Randeep Guleria: ‘‘There have been other reports. In Japan, it was found to cause neuro-psychiatric manifestations like suicidal tendencies in patients. The drug’s literature, I believe, mentions this. That’s why we have been constantly warning against indiscriminate use.”
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
13-year-old girl dies of swine flu in Pune, toll reaches 8
Swine flu claimed yet another life of a 13-year-old girl here on Tuesday, raising the total number of victims across the country to eight.Shruti Gawade, a student of Ahilyadevi school, became the sixth victim of the H1N1 virus in the state. Five of them died in Pune itself.
Shruti, a resident of Narayan Peth area, had been kept on ventilator since August 7 when she was brought here after being referred from a private hospital in critical condition, said Dr Pandurang Pawar, Medical Superintendent of Sasoon hospital.
In Chennai, two persons including a four-year-old boy fell prey to the deadly virus on Monday.
Shruti, a resident of Narayan Peth area, had been kept on ventilator since August 7 when she was brought here after being referred from a private hospital in critical condition, said Dr Pandurang Pawar, Medical Superintendent of Sasoon hospital.
In Chennai, two persons including a four-year-old boy fell prey to the deadly virus on Monday.
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