A day after the Centre issued a swine flu alert, the Hyderabad city registered two swine-flu cases on Sunday.
One of the affected is a 25-year-old pregnant woman and another is 17-month-old infant. Patients with swine flu will have to join Gandhi Hospital in the city, as it is the only government-run hospital that has an Isolation Ward and other facilities for treating deadly disease.

The 17-month-old infant hailing from Ramgopalpet in Secunderabad was diagnosed with swine flu while undergoing treatment at a private hospital. He was then shifted to Gandhi Hospital. The pregnant woman named Shashikala, is a resident of ECIL Crossroads and she joined Gandhi Hospital on December 24 with high fever. She was tested positive two days later.

According to Dr Narasimhulu, nodal officer at Gandhi Hospital, ten cases have been registered in the current year, apart from the two currently being treated at the swine flu Isolation Ward at the hospital. Three of the patients had died and seven of them were discharged after successful treatment, he said. According to Dr Rafi, Resident Medial Officer of Osmania General Hospital, the hospital does not have an Isolation Ward currently and all the swine flu cases will be directed to Gandhi Hospital only.

Dr Narasimhulu warned people to be careful when they visited places of mass congregations like Tirupati, Sabarimala and other places. He cautioned people to observe cleanliness and also ensure hygiene in their surroundings.

“As the first two weeks of January are going to be chilly, people are advised to take precautions. Swine flu virus HI NI spreads easily in cold conditions,” he said. According to Deputy Chief Minister and state Health Minister T Rajaiah, there are enough stocks of capsules and syrups to prevent and treat swine flu. Drugs have been supplied to all district headquarters hospitals as well. “We have a total of 13,200 capsules and 210 syrups to prevent and treat the flu,” Rajaiah said recently.

He said the Gandhi Hospital staff would be given Boxigrip, a prophylactic, to avoid contracting the infection. Officials said people could go for swine flu tests if fever, cold and such other bronchial problems persist.