Nine suspected patients under observation in Vyara hospital

Surat, Feb 23 (UNI) Even as the district collector maintains that there is no bird flu, at least nine patients are under observation at Varya hospital in Uchchal tehsil town bordering the affected area in Maharashtra to ascertain whether or not they are infected with the bird flu virus, according to authorities at the government control set up there.

Talking to UNI, Dr Pradeep Kumar, a physician, who is a member of the special team at Uchchal, informed that there was no confirmation whether any of the nine patients has been infected with bird flu.

''They have just shown one or two symptoms, which can only be suspected as bird flu and they have been kept in an isolated ward and are under strict observation,'' he said.

Dr Kumar said that an in intense survey is going on in Uchchal and medical teams are giving medicines to those who show slightest symptoms of illness.

''We also follow them even after they are discharged,'' he said.

Collector Vatsala Vasudevan said that the condition in Uchchal is ''perfectly normal''.'' No bird flu has been reported from the area.'' Meanwhile, the district police authorities are maintaining a round-the-clock vigil at the entry points into the bordering region to check all vehicles coming from Maharashtra to Gujarat to ensure there is no transportation of chikens.

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