Delhi's I.I.T has three swine flu affected

New Delhi, Aug.10 (ANI): Even as a high-level meeting of the Ministry of Health officials is being held here this morning, the number of Indian Institute of Technology (I.I.T) staff infected with HINI influenza has gone up to three.

One IIT staffer was reported to have contacted the virus, two IIT students are already infected.

The latest victim has been admitted to M.M. Malviya Hospital.

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad is presiding over the meeting. Cabinet Secretary K.Chandrashekhar is also attending the meeting.

Meanwhile, even as the Delhi Government asked people not to panic and refused to issue an advisory for the closure of schools, some private schools opted to close down voluntarily as a preventive measure against swine flu.

At least five schools have closed down in the National Capital Region (NCR) till next Monday.

On Monday, the total number of swine flu affected cases were reported to be 864 in the country.

Altogether 511 patients of the total cases had been discharged till Sunday after treatment. The rest were being treated in stipulated government hospitals across the country.

This virus is contagious but, at this time, it not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

The symptoms of H1N1 swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhoea and vomiting associated with H1N1 swine flu. Severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and even deaths have been reported with H1N1 swine flu infection. Like seasonal flu, H1N1 swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic diseases.

In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include fast breathing or difficulty in breathing, bluish or gray skin colour, not drinking enough fluids, severe or persistent vomiting, not waking up or not interacting, being so irritable that the child does not want to be held, flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough.

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion, severe or persistent vomiting.

Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough. (ANI)