Swine flu alert: vigil stepped up in Maharashtra

Mumbai, June 9 (ANI): Maharashtra health directorate has stepped up vigil in all airports and sea ports in the state on Tuesday, the decision was taken in order to screen passengers coming from abroad for H1N1 virus cases.

"We have stepped up the vigilance in Maharashtra. No confirmed cases have been reported till yesterday from this state," said Dr U H Gavande, Deputy Director of State Health Directorate.

Gavande assured that the directorate of the health services was taking all the precautionary measures, including arrangements in the screening and quarantine facilities

"We had 16 suspected cases of which 15 have been proved negative and the results of one case, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir, who flew into Mumbai from Jeddah, has been sent to NIV, Pune are awaited," Gavande added.

According to reports, the health officials screened 12,374 passengers on Monday, while a total of 4,24,312 passengers have been screened since the swine flu was reported in India in April 009. (ANI)