Swine Flu information – Keep yourself safe

Swine Flu is one of the latest dreaded diseases which has started showing its effects, and spreading on a high rate in India. Its an influenza virus of name H1N1 which is known to cause the disease, and with its effect in many other countries, its claimed 4 lives in India already(till 9th August, 2009), and there are many suspected cases.
It was first detected in April 2009, but in June the World Health Organization declared it as a pandemic(spreading across all the places around the world). Nothing much to say about the name, Swine Flu virus was just a suspected one the influenza viruses which caused the diseases in Swine(Pigs) in North America. Although, its not the same and this is a new strain of h1N1 which has not affected any human, or animal before.
Spread of the Swine Flu Disease:The H1N1 virus is contagious, and spreading easily from one human to other, through the easiest ways like Couging, sneezing from people who are already infected. It also spreads through skin-to-skin contact sometimes, because the virus is known to be found on the outer membrane of the affected people.
Signs and symptoms of Swine Flu:Every contagious disease has no much complications, but the simple conditions increase rapidly and are fatal(life claiming). Here are a few symptoms -
Fever
Cough
Sore throat
Runny or stuffy nose
Body aches
Headache
Chills
Fatigue
Some other symptoms are Diarrhoea and Vomitings but not all cases complained of that. Severe cases which could not be treated successfully, were victims of death due to Swine Flu.
Serious symptoms: That can easily suspect and are emergency cases:
Faster breathing or problems in breathing
Bluish or gray skin color – Due to blood infection
No proper appetite for food or fluids
Severe or persistent vomiting
Not waking up or not interacting
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Prevention and Treatment:This is the most important part of the article, where i can explain how generally every contagious disease is prevented, and so is Swine Flu(Check WHO Precautions) -
Away from cough, sneeze – When someone sneezes or coughs, don’t ignore but just take maximum protection of yourself. Move some distance apart if the person sneezing is so ignorant and does not cover his mouth with something while sneezing. Facts say that Sneezing pushes out the micro-organisms due to allergy, in a very rapid speed and they are spread in all directions if not covered.
Wash your hands – Hands can reach anywhere, any wall, any surface where the virus might have landed due to the release from infected person, and before eating, wash your hands with soap for a couple minutes and Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective. While using the soap, using warm water is very effective in getting cleaned in the best way.
Face masks, or something to cover mouth – Face mask is used generally in laboraties or clinics, and lately by the traffic policemen who try to avoid the pollution from automobiles, but usage is not limited to them. Its the best to cover yourself with Face masks, and change it regularly, so that the virus entry can be prevented. Although you might have touched your hands in contagious areas, still they can’t reach the mouth due to the mask.There are nose-tag and earloop masks available for very cheap, which can save lives.I read people saying “When there are few people dead due to Swine Flu, everyone needs a mouth mask. But millions die of AIDS and no one uses condoms!” > You guys might be true, but that’s people’s mistake. Why are going against the Swine Flu prevention in the statement? That statement just discourages usage of face mask!
Avoid direct contact – Hugging, or some other ways of contact of skins between normal and sick people should be avoided.
Usage of gloves – While cleaning shelves, wash basins etc. you usually keep your hands open without any cover, but using gloves is a better way for prevention of getting infected. Don’t expose your skin. There are packs of 100 gloves available for cheap. Use them while you are touching many uncleaned surfaces.
Stay at home, isolated – When you are not sick, and suspect someone around you with Swine Flu, if he is sick, then try to stay away to be safe from the disease. Also, if you are sick, stay away from others to keep them safe from any disease. Get yourself tested for Swine Flu.
Medications: Swine flu treatmentThere are a few medications that CDC recommends like Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir). You need to first get yourself tested for the disease, and then the antiviral drugs are administered and prescribed by the doctors.
Getting tested:As of now, i have found these places in Mumbai, India where you can get tested for the Swine Flu infection -
Bhabha Hospital, Bandra
Rajawadi Hospital, Ghatkopar
Bhagwati Hospital, Borivli
M T Agarwal Hospital, Mulund
Siddharth Hospital, Goregaon

WHO precautions – Swine Flu Protection

World Health Organization had declared Swine Flu as a pandemic disease in June. Pandemic is an epidemic that is geographically widespread; occurring throughout a region or even throughout the world.And being air-borne, the risk of spread of Swine Flu has increased very much.
Here are a few tips and precautions given by WHO to keep yourself and others safe from Swine Flu H1N1 virus -
Cover your nose and mouth with disposable tissue when coughing or sneezing.
Dispose off used tissues properly immediately after use.
Regularly wash hands with soap and water.
If you have flu-like symptoms, seek medical advice immediately.
If you have flu-like symptoms, keep a distance of at least 1 meter from other people.
If you have flu-like symptoms, stay home from work, school or crowded places.
Avoid hugging, kissing and shaking hands when greeting.
Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
These were the instructions given by WHO, but you can be more safer by usage of face masks, and gloves while touching any ill patient or any unhealthy places. Face masks are available in pharmacies generally, but if out of stock, you should visit any surgical instruments store to find it. Don’t worry about fashion when its matter of health. Wear face masks in any public places where there is excess crowd.
If you are ill, may that be flu-like or not, just try to stay isolated and avoid contact with other people. And contact your doctor and any authorized swine flu treatment hospital as soon as possible.
Also, when you visit any hospital to get tested for swine flu, use mouth mask and gloves and don’t touch any surfaces. Ensure that you are being tested with a new syringe.More tips will be shared soon.
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Authorized Swine Flu Treatment hospitals in India

Swine Flu when declared as Pandemic all over the world, measures had to be taken already but still people were late to realize about the disease, and government has finally set up a few authorized health centers to check for and treat Swine Flu, in India.
Here are the hospitals which were authorized for the same -
Mumbai
Kasturba Gandhi HospitalArthur Road, N M Joshi Marg, Jacob Circle, Mumbai – 11(022) 23083901, 23092458, 23004512
Haffkine InstituteAcharya Donde Marg, Parel, Mumbai – 12(022) 24160947, 24160961, 24160962
Sir J J HospitalJ J Marg, Byculla, Mumbai – 08(022) 23735555, 23739031, 23760943, 2376840023731144 / 5555 / 23701393 / 1366
Other hospitals in city -
Jaslok Hospital
Bombay Hospital
Breach Candy Hospital
Shushrusha Hospital
Hinduja Hospital
Saifee Hospital
Prince Ali Khan Hospital
H N Hospital
Western Suburb -
Lilavati Hospital
nanavati Hospital
Asian Heart Hospital
Holy Family Hospital
Holy Spirit Hospital
Reliance (Ambani) Hospital
Brahmakumari Hospital
Gurunanak Hospital
Eastern Suburb -
Hiranandani Hospital
Wockhardt Hospital
Inlak Hospital
Pune
National Institute of Virology20A Ambedkar Road, Pune – 11(020) 26006290
Naidu HospitalNr Le’Meridian, Raja Bahadur Mill, GPO, Pune – 01(020) 26058243
Delhi
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)Ansari Nagar, Aurobindo Marg Ring Road, New Delhi – 29(011) 26594404, 26861698 Prof. R C Deka – 9868397464
Vallabhai Patel Chest InstituteUniversity Enclave, New Delhi- 07(011) 27667102, 27667441, 27667667, 27666182
National Institute for Communicable Diseases22, Sham Nath Marg,New Delhi – 54(011) 23971272/060/344/524/449/326
Hyderabad
Govt. General and Chest Diseases Hospital,Erragadda, Hyderabad(040) 23814939
Kondapur Area Hospital
Vanasthalipuram area hospital
King koti general hospital
Could not find correct contact info about the above Hyderabad hospitals, but you can directly go there if nearby your area.
Vishakapatnam
Govt Chest Hospital, Peda waltair
Chennai
King Institute of Preventive Medicine (24/7 Service)Guindy, Chennai – 32(044) 22501520, 22501521 & 22501522
Communicable Diseases HospitalThondiarpet, Chennai(044) 25912686/87/88, 9444459543
Government General HospitalOpp. Central Railway Station, Chennai – 03(044) 25305000, 25305723, 25305721, 25330300
Kolkata
ID Hospital57,Beliaghata, Beliaghata Road, Kolkata – 10?(033) 23701252
Kochi
Government Medical CollegeGandhi Nagar P O, Kottayam – 08(0481) 2597311,2597312
Taluk HospitalRailway Station Road, Alwaye, Ernakulam(0484) 2624040 Sathyajit – 09847840051
Bangalore
Victoria HospitalK R Market, Kalasipalayam,Bangalore – 02(080) 26703294 Dr. Gangadhar – 94480-49863
SDS 26631923 Dr.Shivaraj 99801-48780
Coimbatore
ID Hospital – (033) 23701252
Ahmedabad
Civil HospitalAsarwa,Ahmedabad – 380 016 (Gujarat) INDIA.+91 79 22683721-31
I got this list built through help from friends on twitter, and some other news sites. Please comment if you get information about any other authorized hopitals for Swine Flu Treatment.