Control swine flu: Assam CM tells health department

Guwahati, March 11 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday directed the health and family welfare department to work on a mission mode to contain the spread of swine flu, which has so far claimed two lives in the state.

"Though the disease has not taken the form of an epidemic in the state, we are not taking any chance and the health department has been instructed to work on a mission mode to put its men and machinery to control the spread of swine flu," Gogoi said.

Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) legislator Keshav Mahanta wanted to raise the issue of swine flu infection in Assam during the ongoing session of the Assam legislative assembly on Wednesday.

Mahanta later told the media that the reports of swine flu assumes significance considering the two deaths so far and the government must inform the people of Assam about its preparedness to tackle the disease.

Assam Health and Family Welfare Minister Nazrul Islam was, however, absent in the House on Wednesday.

However, the Assam government spokesman Rockybul Hussain said that the government had taken up steps to stop further spread of the disease.

Apart from the two deaths, at least five persons have been tested positive for the disease and the government had already sounded an alert across the state over the swine flu.

The government had also asked all the hospitals to keep all the facilities available to face all exigencies arising out of the flu.

The private as well as government hospitals have also been instructed to arrange for isolation ward facilities to treat the swine flu patients and to keep sufficient stock of 'Tamiflu' tablets.