New Delhi: The joint monitoring committee constituted by of the health ministry was held here on Saturday to chart the potential course of swine flu in view of the mounting cases of H1N1 in the country. Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said the number of persons infected in the country is small compared to its size and population. "I don't think there is any need for panic. So far our country is concerned...in view of the size and population of the country, the number of persons infected is too less and too small," he said. The Minister, however, said it could not be a explanation for avoiding any precautionary measure. "As a matter of fact we have already started taking action on this right from day one and a number of precautions have been already taken," Azad said. Azad's comments came a day after the World Health Organisation declared the disease as a pandemic, raising its alert to maximum 'level six' as more swine flu cases were reported from across the world.

      Azad said, "All the cases have come from outside, mainly from the USA, Therefore, there is no need to panic. The disease is fully curable and we have enough stock of the medicine. All the 15 cases are being treated, five patients have already been discharged." Outlining the measures taken to deal with the situation, Azad said that 16 more labs are being activated, 10 million doses of 'Tamiflu' have been procured and the Rapid Response Teams are being trained at state levels. "In future, these teams will also be operationalised at district level. Screening and isolation facilities were put in place well in time. All the necessary measures are being taken," he said. In reply to a question, the Minister said that Tamiflu is not being distributed through private channels. If cases of private chemist selling the drug are reported, concerned state authorities should take action to prevent it. On the question of exit screening in the affected countries, he said that he has already written to the Minister of External Affairs. "The Minister of External Affairs (MEA) has informed that the matter is being taken up through the MEA missions in the concerned countries," he said. Meanwhile, a six-year-old girl, who hails from New York, and arrived at Hyderabad, was confirmed with the H1N1 virus on Friday. The girl is said to have contracted the virus from her grandparents. In India, two more persons in Delhi and one in Goa tested positive, taking the total number of such cases to 15.
-June 13, 2009