A day after the first A(H1N1) influenza death was reported from Pune, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry on Tuesday revised the existing guidelines for testing for the flu. It has left it to the judgement of the doctors at identified government facilities to advise patients whether or not to go for tests.
Making treatment and testing more accessible, the government has also advised the people showing symptoms such as cold, cough, fever and sore throat to go to an identified government health facility.
Patients, both positive and negative cases, will be given the option of staying under home quarantine or remaining in isolation at the hospital, Vineet Chawdhry, joint secretary, told reporters after Union Health and Family Welfare Minister reviewed the swine flu situation in the country at a high power meeting. “However, it will be the discretion of the doctor whether or not he gives the choice to the patients. Even at home, the patient and the attendant will have to follow strict instructions.”
This decision was taken because the government expected a large number of people to report at the health facility with seasonal influenza, many of whom would require testing. Mr. Chawdhry said all suspected patients were earlier quarantined until the tests proved negative.
“But the guidelines for those arriving from outside the country remain unchanged,” he said. This was because many patients did not turn up at the government facilities due to the fear of isolation. “We do not want the Pune tragedy to be repeated.”
