Kempegowda International Airport to screen passengers to detect symptoms of H1N1

BENGALURU: The Kempegowda International Airport will start screening of passengers to detect symptoms of the H1N1 influenza that has already claimed six lives in Bengaluru. As many as 75 cases have tested positive in Bengaluru alone out of the 106 in Karnataka.

The airport will put in place measures to screen incoming passengers for H1N1, along with existing screening procedures that were set up during the Ebola virus scare. “We are awaiting an official mandate from the Union Health Ministry ,“ an airport spokesperson said. Health Minister UT Khader said district health officers (DHO) have been given a free hand to purchase 4,000-5,000 Tamiflu tablets to fight the virus. “We have released Rs 1 lakh for each DHO for purchase of the tablets. There is no question of shortage of medicines,“ Khader assured.

Health officials have tested samples of 411 persons, of which 106 were found to positive for the H1N1 strain, which is commonly known as swine flu. The minister also announced setting up of isolation wards in district hospitals. “It is a treatable disease, but the key is to get it diagnosed early on,“ he said.

Symptoms commonly include cough, fever, body ache and sore throats, said Dr Riyaz Basha, a community medicine specialist from the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. “In any case of swine flu, the time window is 7-15 days to get it checked . Unfortunately , not every case is being subjected to proper diagnosis,“ he said. The H1N1 strain of the influenza virus does not bear local origins. “It spreads through international travel,“ he said.