PANJIM, MARCH 26
The H1N1 influenza is very less heard of these days or literally non-existent, but the Directorate of Health Services recently received 15,000 doses of Panenza vaccine to be administered only to the medical and para-medical staff working in government and private hospitals.
Officials at DHS said Panenza vaccines, manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur in France, were brought under refrigeration and are being stored under refrigeration.
These are being supplied to hospitals to be administered to medical and para-medical staff and it is not compulsory that one has to take the dose, they informed.
Explaining in technical terms, the officials described Panenza as a split virus inactivated, non-adjuvanted monovalent vaccine against pandemic influenza.
Meanwhile, they said, no fresh cases of swine flu have been reported in the State, which has done well to contain the disease. From February 1 as per national directives Goa withdrew health screenings at its lone international airport at Dabolim, but has set up a help desk to inform people about the facilities available in the State for treating H1N1 patients, the officials mentioned.
Ever since H1N1 hit India, Delhi has reported the maximum number of cases but deaths have been few, but Maharashtra which has seen less number of cases has most deaths.
Officials said Goa had done well to control the disease and keep the swine flu scare at bay.
Since June 2009, the State has seen five H1N1 deaths out of which three were imported and two indigenous (local). The number of cases reported ever since are: June (01), July (05), August (20), September (11), October (05), November (06), December (04), January (01), February (0) and upto March 17 (01). The case fatality rate remains 4.2 per cent taking into consideration the two indigenous deaths.
Salcete has seen the maximum number of cases pegged at 25 while in Tiswadi 10 people were reported with the disease. The other places from where swine flu was reported are: Mormugao (09), Quepem (02), Ponda (02) and Bicholim (01). Besides, 21 people were detected with H1NI after international travel.
Total 45 international passengers were treated in hospitals earmarked for H1N1 treatment and other 117 treated were domestic cases. 283 people were home quarantined.
