Mangaluru: Although 4 persons have died in a short span of the last 16 days due to the suspected HIN1 viral fever in Dakshina Kannada district, the district health department is yet to confirm the same. It will be confirmed only after a report by the Death Audit Committee (DAC).
Dakshina Kannada District Health Officer (DHO) M Ramakrishna Rao addressing the reporters at his office on Wednesday, October 17, said that it cannot say that the death of four person was was due to H1N1. It is because the patients might have died due to other reasons also. We will announce it only after DAC examines the case history of the patient and files a report in this regard. Unless and until we get the report by the DAC, we cannot confirm that death was due to H1N1″, he said and added that DAC will file a report within a week.
Informing about the statistics of suspected cases of H1N1 in Dakshina Kannada district, Ramakrishna Rao said, “A total of 29 cases of H1N1 are detected in Dakshina Kannada district from January to 15 October 2018. Among them, only three positive cases of H1N1 were found in eight months from January to August 2018. But in the month of September 2018, a total of 12 cases were found and 14 cases in between October 1 and 15. Among these, four persons namely Avvamma (48) of Sajipanadu, her daughter Zabeena (27), Abdulla (50) of Vamanjoor and his wife Zameela (38) died between September 30 and October 15. Though the victim of suspected H1N1 Avvamma’s husband Mayyadi also died on October 1st, his death was not due to the same case”, he said.
‘H1N1 can be cured with timely and specific treatment’
Speaking about the symptoms of H1N1, Ramakrishna Rao said high fever, sore throat, cold, cough with yellow sputum, lethargy, severe vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty in breathing among others are the symptoms of H1N1. If any person in a family suffers from any of these symptoms, they should be taken to the nearest hospital. Timely and specific treatment helps to cure the disease”, he said. He also listed some do’s and don’ts to the public to prevent the H1N1 viral fever.
Do’s
- Cover your nose and mouth while coughing and sneezing with tissue paper or handkerchief
- Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after touching the nose, eyes and mouth
- Get adequate sleep and manage stress effectively
- Take rest and plenty of fluids. Eat nutritious food and enhance your immune system
- Reduce the time spent in crowded areas, wear a mask and keep a distance of at least 1 meter from the people having symptoms
Don’ts
- Don’t shake hands or hug while greeting
- Don’t take medicines without doctor’s advise
- Don’t spit in public places
- Avoid going to crowded places
- Don’t travel if you have the above flu symptoms
- Don’t send your child to school if they have the above flu symptoms
