Four more cases of swine flu in Goa

Panaji, Aug 9 (PTI) Three members of a family are among
four new persons who have tested positive for swine flu in Goa
where health authorities have set up an exclusive ventilator
ward for such cases in state's apex Goa Medical College near
the capital of this west Indian coastal state of Goa.

The family, which had recently visited Hong Kong, and
another man who arrived here from Dubai tested positive for
Swine flu on Saturday night.

The cases were confirmed late last night by the officials
of National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi, Dr
Jose de Sa, state nodal officer for Swine flu monitoring
programme, told PTI Sunday morning.

With the addition of four cases, the toll in Goa has
gone up to 11.

De Sa said that though the formal confirmation on
these four cases is awaited from NICD Delhi, all the patients
are shifted to GMCs Swine flu treatment facility.

Their treatment had started the day their throat swab
samples were sent for examination. Once we got the
confirmation, they are shifted to GMC which is well-equipped
to handle any medical emergency, he said.

Gearing up to check the spread of the flu after a
family tested positive for the virus, Health Minister
Vishwajit Rane on Sunday announced construction of the special
ventilator ward for swine flu patients in GMC.

Talking to PTI, he said the facility aims at
segregating swine flu patients from rest so that the disease
does not spread further.

The health department has also called for an emergency
meeting on Monday to discuss the arrangements vis-a-vis their
plans to screen inter-state buses.

"We will take tour operators into confidence before
initiating any steps. Notices would be put at inter-state bus
stands and buses educating the passengers about swine flu
symptoms and precautions to curb its spread," De sa, said.

Goa fears an increase in swine flu cases as the frequency
of travellers plying between Pune to Goa and Mumbai to Goa
will increase manifold during the forthcoming Ganesh Chaturthi
festival.

State Health Minister Rane during the recent Goa
legislative assembly had announced the decision to screen the
buses ferrying passengers from across the state borders. PTI
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