Three deaths in a month, hospitals on swine flu alert

With 60 patients testing positive for the H1N1 virus since January 1, against a total of four cases reported during the same period last year, the Health department on Thursday called an emergency meeting.

The department has instructed all government hospitals to immediately open isolation wards and keep dedicated ICU beds with ventilator facilities.

Commonly known as swine flu, the symptoms of H1N1 infection are similar to common influenza. But if diagnosed late, can lead to respiratory complications.

Three deaths have been confirmed due to the virus this year. The diagnostic results of two other patients, who are suspected to have died of H1N1-related complications, is awaited.

Health Minister Dr A K Walia said, “We have designated 17 government hospitals and five private hospitals to provide treatment for swine flu. Eight labs, five private and three government hospitals — AIIMS, National Centre for Disease Control and Vallab Bhai Patel Chest Institute — , have been authorised to perform the diagnostic tests for swine flu samples.”

This was the third advisory on swine flue this year — two notices were sent in January.

According to Delhi government hospitals, patients had tested positive for the virus from across the city.

Government officials said of the three confirmed deaths, two were from RML Hospital and one at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. All three deaths were from acute respiratory distress syndrome, a common complication associated with swine flu, the minister said.

Dr Walia said since its was a seasonal virus, the intermittent rains over the past two months could have had a role in the rise in cases.

A total of 328 cases and 14 deaths were reported in the first two months of 2010, the highest in five years. In 2011 and 2012, only four cases were reported, with no deaths, in January-February.

The hospitals have been asked to ensure availability of Tamiflu, the drug used to treat the virus. Sources in Delhi government hospitals said no new stocks of the drug had been purchased this year and the drugs purchased last year were being used.

Over the years

Year    positive cases    deaths

2009    7,088     81

2010    1,850     56

2011    22     2

2012    78     1

2013    60     3

Authorised pvt hospitals for treatment

n Action Balaji

n Apollo

n Moolchand

n Sir Ganga Ram

n St Stephen’s

Government hospitals

n Lok Nayak

n Guru Teg Bahadur

n Deen Dayal Upadhyay

n Hindu Rao

n Safdarjung

n Ram Manohar Lohia

Source:http://www.indianexpress.com/news/three-deaths-in-a-month-hospitals-on-swine-flu-alert/1071210/0

Armymen gun licences taken by criminals: Delhi Police

The Delhi Police Special Cell recently approached the Jammu & Kashmir Home department after it found that fake gun licences were issued in the name of Army personnel to persons with “criminal backgrounds” in Delhi.

A month on, the Special Cell, however, is yet to receive any response from the J&K government.

According to police, gun licences were issued to at least three persons from Doda and Ramban in J&K in the name of security personnel, but these were found to be “fake and bogus” during verification by the Delhi Police.

Three men, who were in possession of weapons and fake gun licenses, were arrested by the Special Cell in 2010. The three lived in Sultanpuri and one of them, Rajender, reportedly worked as a sweeper at the ordnance factory in Shakur Basti, police said.

According to police, Rajender had taken the help of certain low-rung officers in J&K administration to procure fake licences for himself and the other two accused.

“The arms licence they had from Doda and Ramban were made on the basis of fake documents. District magistrates of both area did not get the documents verified. Even the recommendation forms from a CO of an Army battalion, which the accused had submitted, were forged. We investigated the matter and approached the J&K Home department to inform them about the forgery,” Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) S N Srivastava said.

In the letter sent by the Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) to J&K government in December 2012, the Delhi Police claimed that the “persons in whose name the licences have been issued, have been found not to be working in the Army/Security, but have criminal records in New Delhi”.

“The signature/stamp of the Administrative Officer appended on the recommendation/ verification report, showing the person to be an Army personnel has been found to be fake,” the letter read.

Several columns in the application forms were also reportedly left blank by the accused. “The licensing authorities have thus failed to comply with the provisions contained in the Rules 23 and 50 of the Arms Rules,” the letter said.

Though Special Cell is still waiting for a response, the J&K Home department has issued a circular instructing all district magistrates to observe the provisions contained in the Arms Act before issuing gun licences to Security or Army personnel and also civilians.

The district magistrates have been instructed to verify reports about the character, antecedents and posting details of all Army-men and ensure they are certified by the commanding officers concerned.

“For this purpose, the district magistrates shall obtain specimen signatures of the commanding officers concerned in advance to avoid issuance of any fake character antecedents or posting certificates. They also need to verify the exact posting of the applicant (from) Army or security forces and check whether their unit actually comes under the jurisdiction of the commanding officer issuing the recommendation letter,” the circular read.

It also instructs that security personnel, whose licences are to be issued or the extension of jurisdiction is to be recommended to the Home department, need to present before the district magistrates for verification of identity.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/armymen-gun-licences-taken-by-criminals-delhi-police/1068922/0