Pune: Altogether 73 swine flu cases, the
highest for a day so far, were reported on Tuesday in the city,
which has so far seen five H1N1 deaths.
"Altogether 73 positive cases were reported in the city
and 71 are being treated at the civil hospitals," District
Collector Chandrakant Dalvi told reporters here this evening.
The number of patients tested positive for swine flu has
reached 294 in Pune district. Now, 39 patients are being
treated at Naidu Hospital, 24 at Aundh Hospital and eight at
Sassoon, he added.
To reduce rush at screening centres, seven units would be
set up here tomorrow while six others would be launched on
Thursday along with Khadki cantonment.
Considering the occupancy of patients at private-run
Sassoon Hospital, Sahyadri-Munot has been permitted to treat
critical patients.
"A team of the Director of Medical Education and Research
has approved the hospital`s name for treating critical
patients and 12 ICU beds and 20 isolation beds would be made
available from tomorrow," Dalvi said.
More private hospitals would be given permission to treat
critical patients. The expenses for NIV test and Tamiflu
tablets would be taken up by the government.
The collector issued guidelines to private medical
practitioners and appealed them to treat patients in C
category -- those having primary symptoms of flu.
Patients in more serious categories like A and B should
be referred to screening centres.
The Pune Municipal Corporation has asked the state
government to depute additional 45 medical officials to reduce
increasing workload of doctors and staff working here.
Bureau Report
