Agra on alert as suspected swine flu cases rise

Agra, Feb 8 (IANS) With the number of suspected cases of swine flu in the city going up to 14, the health department in Agra has been put on high alert.

Four new patients with symptoms of swine flu were admitted to the Sarojini Naidu (SN) Medical College Saturday and their samples have been sent to the National Centre for Disease Control, New Delhi.

Divisional commissioner Pradip Bhatnagar Saturday directed health workers and the SN Medical College to up the alertness and provide prompt treatment to patients.

So far, four junior doctors, four children, three youngsters and three women are under observation, with preliminary reports suggesting they have contracted the flu.

The samples have already been sent to Delhi and the treatment in the isolation ward is continuing, medical department officials said Sunday.

Doctors at the SN Medical College held an emergency meeting Saturday evening to discuss the state of preparedness.

A rapid action team headed by S.K. Singh, the nodal officer, has been constituted to deal with any emergency.

"A degree of alarm is natural as Agra gets a huge share of visitors from outside and with the winter spell continuing, people have to be mentally prepared to face medical emergencies," said Parthsarthy Sharma, a doctor.