The spurt in swine flu cases in the last few days in the city has infused a sense of urgency among the Centre and the State authorities to undertake a coordinated effort to arrest further spread of the deadly virus. The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), Delhi, has dispatched a four-member rapid response team to liaise with the State authorities for taking effective steps. It has also been decided to open an NICD liaison office in Hyderabad to reduce the time 
being taken for examining throat swabs of suspected patients and issue travel advisories to people coming to India from the affected countries. The State Government was represented by Medical Education Minister P Sudarshan Reddy, Prinicpal Secretaries of Health, LV Subrahmanyam and J Satyanarayana and Swine Flu Nodal Centre Coordinator Dr K Subhakar and Chest Hospital Suprintendent J V Prasad in discussions with the NICD team. The State Government wants samples that are sent to New Delhi to be tested faster. Currently, it takes 18-36 hours, including transit time, before the results reach Hyderabad. “The testing process is complicated and we lack the equipment to conduct them here,’’ said Subrahmanyam. Henceforth, the dispatch of samples to New Delhi will be sent every morning and evening. Further, airlines are charging a hefty sum to transport the samples. The State Government wants the Union Civil Aviation Ministry to direct airlines to waive the fee. ``Surely, they can do this at a time of national calamity,’’ said Dr Subhakar. Another issue discussed was whether the Union Government could issue travel advisories to people coming to India from swine flu affected countries. The advisory would ask them to undergo tests before coming to India. Other steps being taken include screening of passengers at 18 international airports in India. ``So far, 95,000 people have been screened at Hyderabad,’’ said Dr Subhakar. Travellers have to provide their contact details so that the Health Department can get in touch in case of any eventuality. The NICD team rushed here after the first case of human-to-human transmission was reported from Hyderabad. A 28-year-old software professional, who arrived in Hyderabad on May 31 on British Airways flight 277, transmitted the virus to his brother. A 31-year-old woman and her daughter, who travelled on the same flight, are also suspected of contracting swine flu from the techie. As a precautionary measure, the Health department is tracking down all the passengers of the `ill-fated flight,’ as L V Subrahmanyam put it. So far, 35 samples have been sent from Hyderabad out of which seven tested positive. Three more were sent on Sunday.
being taken for examining throat swabs of suspected patients and issue travel advisories to people coming to India from the affected countries. The State Government was represented by Medical Education Minister P Sudarshan Reddy, Prinicpal Secretaries of Health, LV Subrahmanyam and J Satyanarayana and Swine Flu Nodal Centre Coordinator Dr K Subhakar and Chest Hospital Suprintendent J V Prasad in discussions with the NICD team. The State Government wants samples that are sent to New Delhi to be tested faster. Currently, it takes 18-36 hours, including transit time, before the results reach Hyderabad. “The testing process is complicated and we lack the equipment to conduct them here,’’ said Subrahmanyam. Henceforth, the dispatch of samples to New Delhi will be sent every morning and evening. Further, airlines are charging a hefty sum to transport the samples. The State Government wants the Union Civil Aviation Ministry to direct airlines to waive the fee. ``Surely, they can do this at a time of national calamity,’’ said Dr Subhakar. Another issue discussed was whether the Union Government could issue travel advisories to people coming to India from swine flu affected countries. The advisory would ask them to undergo tests before coming to India. Other steps being taken include screening of passengers at 18 international airports in India. ``So far, 95,000 people have been screened at Hyderabad,’’ said Dr Subhakar. Travellers have to provide their contact details so that the Health Department can get in touch in case of any eventuality. The NICD team rushed here after the first case of human-to-human transmission was reported from Hyderabad. A 28-year-old software professional, who arrived in Hyderabad on May 31 on British Airways flight 277, transmitted the virus to his brother. A 31-year-old woman and her daughter, who travelled on the same flight, are also suspected of contracting swine flu from the techie. As a precautionary measure, the Health department is tracking down all the passengers of the `ill-fated flight,’ as L V Subrahmanyam put it. So far, 35 samples have been sent from Hyderabad out of which seven tested positive. Three more were sent on Sunday.
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