Swine Flu: Helpline & some quick details

Since morning it was the third incident, first I read in TOI about few swine flu cases in Bangalore, then an old neighbor called to check if I know of any helpline number for Bangalore as her kid was having fever along with cold and then a very close friend rang asking me to surf internet immediately to find out some test center near her locality, her daughter who is studying in a Montessori school was sneezing and school administration had called my friend requesting to take her daughter back home. Now when I heard about this friend’s daughter, it immediately sent some panic waves within me. Though I had read that sneezing is not the key symptom for swine flu & it can happen due to any other reason like allergy, weather change etc. but then when you hear it happening with a kid who is such a close acquaintance, you suddenly become conscious of everything. You don’t feel like taking a chance even if the symptoms are remotely associated to something as grave as swine flu!

I’ve been reading and listening about swine flu for past so many days but never before I realized the urgency to know more about it as today. I immediately surfed internet only to realize that test centers are not available in all localities, there are only few designated hospitals which are conducting tests as well as providing treatment to the patients, looking for a helpline number was also not that quick! After passing on the relevant details to my friend and that neighbor, I started to read more on internet; while there are lots of information and news (read panic news) available but it took me some time to come out with information which can be relevant to people who are looking for help in a jiffy. Here are some info which I have culled out from internet & I think can be useful to those looking out for quick help:

• Symptoms: Swine flu symptoms are similar to the symptoms of regular flu and include fever of over 100.4°F, fatigue, lack of appetite, and cold. Some people with swine flu have also reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Nearly everyone with flu has at least two of these symptoms. You can read more about it here.
• Though it can infect anybody but kids and pregnant women are more prone to this virus.
• Relevant websites: Though lots of websites are available but I found the following two websites to be most comprehensive ones, you can get to know almost everything at one place.

http://www.swinefluindia.com/ AND

http://www.in.com/swineflu/

• Helpline number for Bangalore: Govt of Karnataka’s helpline number for swine flu is 91-80-26631923 and the address for test center is:
  SDS & Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases(Govt. of Karnataka), Hosur Road, Bangalore - 560 029
  You can look for helpline numbers of your respective city from any of the two links above.

• This disease is highly contagious and one of the most infectious ones. So take appropriate precautions, avoid sending your kids to schools, travelling to infected areas and if you must travel use the facemask to reduce the risk.
  

Though take appropriate precaution but most importantly, don’t panic unnecessarily. Not every running nose or fever is swine flu. These can be symptoms of general flu as well!

*If you know of any more websites or information related to swine flu which you think can be useful to all, do send it as comments, I will include it in this post with due credit so that it can reach the relevant audience.

Update: Just updating some details which someone has left as comment on my post.
List of govt hospitals for test and curing of the SWINE FLU (H1N1 virus)

Bangalore
1) Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest DiseasesNear NIMHANS, Hombegowda NagarBangalore-560029+91-80-26632634+91-80-26631923http://rgicd.com/
2) Victoria Hospital Fort RoadKalasipalyamBangalore-560002080 26703294

Karnataka health and family welfare department on Friday, Aug 7 identified six private hospitals, which would now quarantine Swine Flu cases and treat them. They are listend below:
3) Mallya HospitalVittal Mallya RdBengaluru080 22277979Emergency: 080 22242325
4) Vaidehi hospital#82, K.R. Puram HobliWhite FieldBangalore -560066080-28413381/ 080-28413382/ 080-28413383Emergency: 080 41259032
5) Ambedkar Medical Institute and HospitalKadugondanahalliBangalore-560045080 25463442‎
6) St Johns HospitalSarjapur Main Road, Bangalore- 560034080 25532037
7) Manipal Hospital Airport RoadBangalore- 560017080 2502 4444 080 2502 3344Fax:+ 91 80 2526 6757
8) Mallige Nursing Home Mariappa Road, SiddapurJayanagar Bangalore - 560011080 26565678

Update as on 13th August'09: After reading my post, many people are sending me more information to be included in this post which can be useful to others. Thanks to al of them. I'm posting here the ones which I think can be relevant to this post:

Thanks Neha for the following information!

GOVERNMENT AUTHORIZED HOSPITALS FOR TREATMENT OF SWINE FLU:

Chennai
1.) King Institute of Preventive Medicine (24/7 Service)
Guindy, Chennai – 32
(044) 22501520, 22501521 & 22501522

2.) Communicable Diseases Hospital
Thondiarpet, Chennai
(044) 25912686/87/88, 9444459543

3.) Government General Hospital
Opp. Central Railway Station, Chennai – 03
(044) 25305000, 25305723, 25305721, 25330300

Pune
1.) Naidu Hospital
Nr Le'Meridian, Raja Bahadur Mill, GPO, Pune – 01
(020) 26058243

Kolkata
1.) ID Hospital
57,Beliaghata, Beliaghata Road, Kolkata - 10‎
(033) 23701252

Coimbatore
1.) Government General Hospital
Near Railway Station,
(0422) 2301393, 2301394, 2301395, 2301396
Trichy Road, Coimbatore – 18

Hyderabad
1.) Govt. General and Chest Diseases Hospital,
Erragadda, Hyderabad
(040) 23814939

Mumbai
1.) Kasturba Gandhi Hospital
Near Chinchpokli Railway Station,Opp. Arthur Road, Chinchpokli, Mumbai
(022) 23083901, 23092458, 23004512

2.) M T Agarwal Hospital
Dr. R P Road, Mulund (W), Opposite ESIS Hospital, Mulund, Mumbai
022-25605729, 25605730

3.) Rajawadi Hospital
Rajawadi Road, Ghatkoper (East), Mumbai
022-25094151/ 25094153/ 25094150/ 25094149

4.) Bhabha Hospital
Waterfield Road, R. K. patkar Marg, Bandra(West), mumbai
022-26422775/ 26429828/ 26406787

5.) Bhabha Hospital
Belgrami Road, Kurla (West), Mumbai
022- 26500144/26500241

6.) Bhagwati Hospital
Tulsibaug, S. V.Road, Boriwali (West), Mumbai
022-28932461/ 28932462/ 28932463

7.) S K Patil Hospital
Daftary Road, Malad (East), Mumbai
022-28899447/ 028894381

8.) Cooper Hospital
Irla Juhu Link road, Vile Parle (West) Mumbai
022-26207254/ 22605892/ 22605897

9.) V N Desai Hospital
V. desai Road, Santacruz (West), Mumbai

10.) Shatabdi Hospital
Waman Tukaram Pat Marg, Govandi (East), Mumbai
022-25564069/ 27662933

11.) Mahatma Phule Hospital
Kannamwar Nagar, Vikhroli (East), mumbai
022-25782253/ 25782283

12.) J J Hospital
Off. J.J Road, Byculla, Behind Byculla Police Station, Mumbai
022-23735555/23739031

Kochi
1.) Government Medical College
Gandhi Nagar P O, Kottayam - 08
(0481) 2597311,2597312

2.) Government Medical College
Vandanam P O, Allapuzha - 05
(0477) 2282015

3.) Taluk Hospital
Railway Station Road, Alwaye, Ernakulam
(0484) 2624040 Sathyajit - 09847840051

4.) Taluk Hospital
Perumbavoor PO, Ernakulam 542
(0484) 2523138 Vipin - 09447305200

Delhi
1.) All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
Ansari Nagar, Aurobindo Marg Ring Road, New Delhi – 29
(011) 26594404, 26861698 Prof. R C Deka - 9868397464

2.) National Institute for Communicable Diseases
22, Sham Nath Marg,
(011) 23971272/060/344/524/449/326
New Delhi – 54

3.) Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
Kharak Singh Marg,
(011) 23741640, 23741649, 23741639
New Delhi – 01
Dr. N K Chaturvedi – 9811101704

4.) Vallabhai Patel Chest Institute
University Enclave, New Delhi- 07
(011) 27667102, 27667441, 27667667, 27666182

& thanks Nitin for shraing the following information:

Scientific Prevention of Swine Flue using Household Products

1. Inhale Clove Oil (Lavang) For 1 Second.

2. Chew 1 Clove In a Day

3. Eat Raw Garlic (Lasun), Onion, Ginger (Aale) (1 to 5gm)

4. Drink Hot Milk With 2gm of Turmeric

5. Consume Plenty Of Vit C Fruits-Lemon/ Avala

6. Eat 8 to 6 leaves of Tulsi empty Stomach Twice a day

7. Burn Camphor oil in your room, office a slight camphor oil all the time which keeps different airbone diseases away .