Isolation ward for swine flu patients in Noida

NOIDA: District magistrate NP Singh on Friday directed health officials to set up an isolation ward for swine flu patients at District Hospital, and sanctioned Rs 1.25 lakh for swine flu medicines. No swine flu patients have been reported in the district so far. The administration, though, is preparing for an outbreak.

Singh said dealing with dengue this season had been difficult. "The health department was not prepared for the outbreak. So, we're now taking measures to effectively deal with swine flu. We've asked for an isolation ward to be set up in District Hospital, and told health department and District Hospital officials to stock up on medicines," he said.

N M Mathur, chief medical superintendent of district hospital, said he has written to Noida authority to set up the isolation ward. "We hope to get approval from the authority soon. We had made an isolation ward last year. The ward will be refurnished and used for swine flu patients," Mathur said.

Doctors said that swine flu is a respiratory disease caused by influenza virus. Symptoms of swine flu are similar to most influenza infections like fever, cough, fatigue and headache. Swine flu transmits from person to person by inhalation or ingestion of droplets containing virus from people sneezing or coughing.