Swine flu case reported in city

Kolkata: At a time when various civic bodies have strengthened surveillance to check vector-borne diseases, a swine flu case has been reported in Kolkata.

An elderly woman above the age 60 and a resident of Howrah was admitted to a private hospital last Thursday with irregularities in the heart beat.

She has an infection in her lungs. A series of pathological tests were performed on the patient and the patient has finally been diagnosed with swine flu.

Her health condition is stated to be critical and she has been kept under Bipap support.

It may be mentioned here that people were also infected with swine flu last year.

Some swine flu cases have also been reported this year as well.

State health department has been monitoring the situation.

Following the instruction of the state government, various civic bodies have started examining the drainage system under their respective jurisdiction to check accumulation of rain water ahead of monsoon.

Health department has directed all the civic bodies to carry out a drive against vector-borne diseases.

Civic bodies are also preparing a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen surveillance to check dengue and malaria this season.

It may be mentioned here that around 190 places across Bengal have been identified as dengue-malaria prone zones.

Out of these 190 dengue-malaria prone zones about 10 are earmarked in

Kolkata.

State health department has asked all the concerned civic bodies and district officials to carry out a home-to-home survey in those places falling under the identified spots.

The civic bodies have been directed to carry out anti vector borne drives in the houses situated in the dengue-malaria prone zones.

In the past two years the dengue-malaria cases remained comparatively low in Bengal.