Kathmandu Was Threates By Swine flu......

With the advent of Dashain, the greatest festival of Nepali people, the threat of the spreading of the Pandemic Influenza AH1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, has increased as a result of greater mobility of the Nepali population. With the festival a mere two weeks away, and the inflow of migrant workers ever-increasing, the Ministry of Health (MoH) warns of the high possibility of the spread of the virus.

“With such large groups of people crossing borders in such a small span of time, it is quite impossible to take measures to effectively contain the virus,” says Dr. Jitendra Man Shrestha, Deputy Coordinator of Avian Influenza Control Project under MoH.

Government officials at MoH claim that they have taken measures to prevent the pandemic from entering, but warn that if the virus spreads in the community, it becomes a more difficult problem. Conceding the fact that the flu can spread at any time, unless people are well informed and take necessary precautions; Dr. Shrestha cautions, “It has not yet spread, but there is a high risk that it will during the festival.”

The virus is causing widespread panic in India, as over one hundred people have lost of their lives and hundreds others have been diagnosed. This is a problem for Nepal as thousands of migrant workers will be returning for the festival from across the border.As many as 31 cases of swine flu have been detected in the country since the first case was confirmed on June 29. Since the first case was detected in Mexico in April, World Health Organization (WHO) has reported cases of Swine Flu in 175 countries.

According to Dr. Shrestha, MoH has been ringing the alarm since 29 April. 40 rapid response teams have been organsed and a team of health professionals at stationed at Tribhuvan International Airport, as well as in seven other land-crossing areas in the Nepal-India/China border. Likewise, the government has also deployed surveillance teams across the country and improved hospital conditions- mainly Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital and Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital- to enable them to provide special treatment and stockpile the necessary drugs (namely Tamiflu) and masks. Ready now is a system capable of attending to 40,000 patients.

However, agreeing on the fact that detection at TIA and other land-crossing areas is dependant more on the testimony of travelers, rather than the expertise of the medical staff on duty, Shrestha states, “The major channel that could let the deadly flu enter Nepal is the open border. Out of 50 major border points along the Nepal-India border, 18 are very busy. We know that the number of screening desks at 7 border checkpoints are simply not sufficient.”

What is most alarming- as has been the case in previous instances of flu viruses originating in animals- is the possibility of the air-borne virus mutating so that it can be transferred from one person to another. Shrestha recommends precautionary measures- such as wearing masks, washing hands, and maintaining distance an inter-personal distance- to all.