By IANS,
Jalandhar (Punjab) : A team of four doctors from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), New Delhi, arrived here Monday to oversee the treatment of nine students admitted to the civil hospital with symptoms of swine flu.
The students from a private school came under the scanner after health authorities Sunday found that one of their classmates had tested positive for the influenza A (H1N1) virus in New Delhi.
“We examined all the students but admitted only nine of them as a precautionary measure after they complained of fever and sore throat,” said S.S. Walia, surgeon at the civil hospital.
“The blood samples of the admitted students were sent to the NICD last night and the report is expected to reach here by Monday night,” he added.
Deepak Bhatia, nodal officer to tackle swine flu, said the NICD team reached here Monday morning to keep a tab on the situation.
“The students are in isolated wards and are under the constant observation of our doctors. Those students who were discharged after medication have been instructed to remain inside their homes for two-three days,” said Bhatia.
The quarantined students were part of a group of 31 students and three teachers of the Guru Amar Das Public school who had gone to New York and Florida on an educational trip to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The boy who tested positive for the virus was a Class 12 student. He was admitted to a Delhi hospital Saturday immediately after his landed at the Indira Gandhi International airport with symptoms of swine flu. He had travelled on a Qatar Airlines flight.
“We have got reports that four people who were on the same flight have also shown similar symptoms. Among them, two are from Kapurthala and one is from Bathinda in Punjab, while one is from Kangra town in Himachal Pradesh. The concerned health authorities have been informed about them,” said Bhatia.