‘War is not over until the war is over’: Dr Palin
Swine Flu (N1H1 Flu) continues to spread across the country and the deadly virus has claimed two lives in Manipur today morning.
On hearing the news, Imphal Times reached out to Dr Palin Khundongbam, CMD of Shija Hospitals and Research Institute (SHRI) and confirmed about the death.
The two victims were admitted at SHRI after they have been detected with symptoms of the epidemic. The first victim, who hails from Imphal East district, infected with the virus on February 19 and had been referred to the hospital from RIMS on February 27, Palin told.
After deteriorating her health condition, she was shifted at SHRI’s isolation ward on March 3 and hospital authority confirmed about her infection after receiving test reports from SRL(Super Religare Laboratories), Mumbai on March 8. The victim died today morning at around 6.10 AM.
The second case was referred to the hospital from JNIMS during Yaosang (Holi) festival. Medication and required tests were conducted soon after her arrival on March 6. Hospital authority sent test samples to Ranbaxy’s SRL(Super Religare Laboratories), Mumbai to confirm about his infection and the hospital is expecting the report by today afternoon, the CMD informed.
The third suspected Swine Flu patient, who hails from Imphal West district, has been discharged from SHRI on Tuesday after officials of Medical Directorate confirmed her illness as not swine flu. She had recovered from her ailment.
Dr Palin said, ‘the alarming situation is that the infected person had not been to outside the state in the last one month when the flu outbreak in other parts of the country; there might be some infected people among us. The war is not over until the war is over’.
However he maintained that apart from medical staffs, who are taking care of suspected Swine Flu patients, early vaccination is not required as it takes around 15 days to protect from the virus.
He also appeals to adopt the Indian style of greeting – Namaste- avoid contact with infected persons and to prevent further infection.
Currently a 60-members team comprising nurse, paramedical staffs and doctors of SRHI are in charge of Swine Flu.