WHO says we can't fight H1N1, India says we can
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New Delhi: World Health Organisation (WHO) officials on Monday said the H1N1 virus was "unstoppable" but Indian health authorities claim it is very much under control in the country and there is no reason to worry.
Till Tuesday, the total number of swine flu cases in India was 251, of which 141 have been treated and discharged from hospitals. Globally, WHO has reported 94,512 H1N1 cases in 135 countries. There have been 429 deaths. India has not reported a single H1N1 death so far.
"India has a fairly robust public health system, much better than in many developed countries. International travellers are the major source of infections in India and there have been very few secondary (local) cases. We have managed to contain the flu in the most effective way. The patients in India have been treated timely and most of them have gone back home healthy. There has been no mortality because of swine flu so far.
Hence, India has done well in containing the infection," Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) chief VM Katoch said. In the present situation, health ministry officials said there was no need to declare emergency in India or to seal borders. "Given the traffic of incoming passengers, we have been fairly successful in tracking the infected, treating them in time and monitoring the health of their relatives. Swine flu in India is completely under control," Katoch said.
The WHO comment came during a meeting on vaccines. WHO experts acknowledged that different countries have different epidemiological and other situations, therefore, the countries themselves will have to take decisions that are best adapted to their situation.
However, it said that children, pregnant women, those suffering from chronic respiratory disease and the obese are at higher risk of infection.
SOURCE
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