CHENNAI: About 3,000 passengers who arrived at Chennai airport on Friday night from swine flu-hit countries were screened by doctors for
symptoms. Meanwhile, Chennai corporation health staff continued culling operations for the third consecutive day – 153 pigs were disposed of “scientifically”.
According to airport officials, all passengers were made to fill up health forms. “Even passengers who had started out from the US or Mexico 10 days ago and had arrived in the city after travelling to other countries were asked provide details,” said a senior official. “None of them were found to be suffering from symptoms,” he added.
Chennai airport receives on average close to 3,000 passengers daily from the US, Canada and countries in Europe. The number goes up to 4,000 on some days. Screening arrangements were made after Dr Dhingra, assistant director, family health services, ministry of health, visited the airport to oversee procedures set in place by airport authorities. He was accompanied by doctors of the central government health scheme and the directorate of public health, Tamil Nadu, for prevention of H1N1 flu.
Four counters have been set up, each manned by one doctor and assistants from the health department. An immigration official said that passenger movement had not reduced after outbreak of the flu in Mexico and USA. “There have been no panic cancellations so far as people are waiting to see whether the situation will improve,” an official said.
Civic authorities told TOI that with help from police and pig catchers, 153 pigs were rounded from across the city and culled. “Following our intensive raids, many pigs was taken away by pig rearers for slaughtering outside city limits. The remaining were rounded off by our staff in various parts of the city and disposed of scientifically. The entire operation was done with the support of corporation veterinary surgeons,” B Kuganantham, health officer, Chennai corporation, told TOI. The local body was making all-out efforts to contain the epidemic, he added.
A team of health officials comprsing conservancy and veterinary staff are doing the rounds of areas in Chennai where pigs are reared illegally. Private hospitals and medical practioners have been directed to give details regarding swine flu to local health authorities immediately. An official release quoting commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni has asked the public not to panic. It states that the temperature in the city is not conducive to the spread of the swine flu virus.
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