Hospitals across the state, including Mumbai, have been directed by the government to gear up, in case there’s an upsurge in the number of H1N1 influenza cases during winter. As a measure, the BMC is initiating major training programmes over the next one month to prepare their doctors.
Experts around the world are waiting to study the behaviour of the virus in winter, with some anticipation that the worst is yet to come. “There is a manner in which influenza viruses behave but H1N1 has acted quite contrastingly so far,” said AC Mishra, director of the National Institute of Virology (NIV). “It has surprised us and we have stalled all preparations and studies about the H5N1 virus (bird flu) and are now focussing on H1N1,” he said. “However, the threat from H5N1 virus is much more potent than swine flu and scientists are worried about it,” he said.
Mishra feels that Maharashtra might have seen the worst already. “Winters are not very chilly in Mumbai, or even the state for that matter. So, in a way, things may not be as bad here, than say in north India,” he added. In Mumbai, more than 650 people have tested positive for H1N1.
The BMC, however, claimed that it is not taking chances. Additional municipal commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar said that they have 40 screening centres in place already. Plans to set up a 10-bed ICU exclusively for H1N1 have been drafted. “The ICU will be set up at Nair Hospital and will be equipped with ventilators, monitors and a sonography machine,” said Dr Sanjay Oak, dean of KEM Hospital. “Apart from that we may also create isolation wards at KEM and Sion hospitals,” he said.
Kasturba Hospital, that has been the epicentre of the swine flu epidemic in the city, will get special attention. “The PCR laboratory is being upgraded so that the diagnosis can be carried out in the city itself,” he said. Presently, samples are being sent to NIV, Pune and Haffkine Research Institute in Parel.
