5 cases in month, H1N1 in exit mode

As hospitals begin closing swine flu isolation wards, health officials say this should not be done as long as there's even one positive case

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has declared the city free of swine flu as there has not been a single case of H1N1 infection there in a month-and-half, but state health authorities are not too happy with such statements.

The PCMC-run YCM hospital has even shut down its isolation ward and begun using the beds that have been freed for regular patients.

Health officials, who have convened a meeting on Tuesday, said medical officers and hospitals will be warned against making statements that suggest there is no swine flu any more, as some cases of H1N1 are still being reported at various places. Health officials, however, do agree that swine flu is now in exit mode.

"Yes it's true that the number of cases has drastically gone down. In fact, it is no more than a handful of cases now. But the fact remains that cases are still being reported and we have had five positive reports since November 1," said Dr Nitin Bilolikar, resident medical officer of Aundh Civil Hospital, where the swine flu monitoring cell has been shifted.

Another officer at the H1N1 control room said guidelines specify that unless and until there is not a single positive H1N1 report for at least double the incubation period of the virus, swine-flu-free status may not be declared.

"We can not issue such a statement till the state government instructs us to, and this isn't for the sake of bureaucracy. It's because a lot of factors go into the estimation of whether the virus is out or not," said the officer. "Besides, people will become relaxed and not take care if we jump the gun, and now that it's winter, a season that is once again conducive to the growth of the virus, we have to wait for a while to see if the virus shows any change."

Of the five people who tested positive for the virus, two are from the city, two were referred from Dhule and Ahmednagar and one from Karnataka.

The last positive report came a week ago, on December 10.

Officials said that in the meeting called on Tuesday to review the swine flu situation, hospitals will be instructed to not shut down their swine flu wards.

Dr Ashok Kante, assistant director of health services, who earlier headed the control room, said the World Health Organisation has said this is the post-pandemic period where alertness is still required and has advised hospitals not to slip up at this stage.