Chennai: In Tamilnadu, 17 people have lost their lives to swine flu and the number of those affected by the fever is 1,700.
Speaking to mediapersons after participating in a swine flu awareness rally in Vellore, Health Secretary, Dr J Radhakrishnan, said, “So far, 17 people have died due to swine flu in the State. Admission of inpatients and treatment of outpatients suffering from the flu has also substantially increased in the last one week in government hospitals.”
He mentioned that the number of swine flu cases has come down by 35 per cent in the last five days.
According to stats mentioned by the Health Secretary, in contrast to this year, 3,800 persons had contracted swine flu last year.
Radhakrishnan appealed to people to get checked immediately at a government hospital if they suffer from fever. He also warned doctors against prescribing steroids for treatment, and said action would be taken against them through the Indian Medical Council if they did so.