‘Fill vacant posts of lab technicians’:

JAIPUR: Nineteen deaths in the state in 10 days has caused scare of swine flu in Jaipur. Patients with influenza-like illness are rushing to diagnostic centres and hospitals for getting confirmatory test done.With cases continuously mounting, there were 132 patients suffering from cold, cough, fever , sore throat and other influenza-like illness underwent swine flu test on Thursday.Out of 132 persons underwent swine flu test, 38 were diagnosed with swine flu in the city on Thursday. In Jaipur only, 86 persons were diagnosed with swine flu in two days.In past 10 days, the city has reported 197 swine flu patients. However, city has not reported even single death due to H1N1 influenza. Suffering from influenza like illness, patients are reaching in increased numbers at clinics and hospitals for treatment.However, in other swine flu-affected areas of the state, the situation is almost similar to Jaipur. Till date in January, 807 persons with swine flu like symptoms have undergone swine flu test, out of those, 610 were tested negative.With spurt in swine flu cases, the health department issued guidelines for vaccination for high risk groups. “We have sent the guidelines to all government-run hospitals. The hospital administration will administer vaccines on their own expense to their doctors,” said Dr Ravi Prakash Mathur, additional director (rural health), health department.Dr Mathur said, “In the guidelines issued by the Centre, it is clearly mentioned that seasonal influenza is caused by a number of circulating influenza viruses such as influenza A H1N1, H3N2 and influenza B.”Dr Mathur said, “The guideline emphasises that as per WHO recommendation, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has recommended for quadrivalent vaccine.”In the state, 78 persons were tested positive for swine flu on Thursday with 38 from Jaipur, 22 from Jodhpur and two each from Bikaner and Jaisalmer, while other parts of the state too reported sporadic cases.Outbreak of swine flu is beginning to become even more severe this year in January in comparison to last year. In January so far, 507 persons have tested positive for the disease in the state which are slightly less in numbers than the cases reported in whole January last year. There were 705 persons diagnosed with swine flu in January, 2018.Akhil Rajasthan Laboratory Technician Karmchari Sangh (ARLTKS), on Thursday alleged that the state government is fighting against swine flu with insufficient number of lab technicians. ARLTKS’s office-bearer Mahesh Saini said that 3,500 posts of lab technicians are vacant in the state. “Timely diagnosis of swine flu is the key for treatment for the patients. It is also important that there is a need to keep the swine flu patient in isolation for preventing others to get infected. But, it is possible only after timely diagnosis of the disease,” said Saini. He said that the government should immediately fill the vacant posts of lab technicians.