By IANS,
Mumbai: As Maharashtra reported more swine flu cases, the state government Friday decided to start administering Tamiflu tablets to patients with positive symptoms without waiting for their throat swab reports, a top official said here.
Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Sharvari Gokhale told reporters here that the amendment in the protocol would be enforced from Saturday.
“If the doctors treating the patients feel that he/she is showing serious symptoms of H1N1, they can administer the Tamiflu dose without waiting for the throat swab reports,” Gokhale said.
In view of the rising number of swine flu cases in and around Mumbai, the state government Friday granted approval to 12 private hospitals, including 11 in Mumbai and one in Navi Mumbai, apart from five private hospitals in Pune, to treat H1N1 cases.
The hospitals are: Bombay Hospital, Harkisondas Hospital, Breach Candy Hospital (all in south Mumbai), Central Railway Hospital (Byculla), Hinduja (Mahim), Holy Spirit (Andheri East), Kokilaben Ambani Hospital (Andheri West), Nanavati Hospital (Vile Parle), Hiranandani Hospital (Powai, Andheri East), Wockhardt Hospital (Mulund), Inlaks Hospital (Chembur), and D.Y. Patil Hospital (Navi Mumbai).
Gokhale added that doctors’ staff would be increased at the screening centres in Pune.
“The doctors from other parts of the state, where the disease has not spread, would be deployed in the screening centres in Pune,” she said.