Seasonal influenza detected in six in Waling, locals fear epidemic

Waling - Of the total 20 samples taken for test for seasonal influenza, six have been resulted in positive, stoking fear among the locals at Waling, Syangja district for the spread of this acute respiratory infection.

The outbreak of seasonal flu, also known as A(H1N1), came to light in the district after a local of Waling-14 succumbed to it on July 24.

A team of Epidemiology and Disease Control Division from Kathmandu collected as many as 20 samples from the patients of which five turned out to be the case of seasonal influenza A (H1N1) while one was of influenza B, according to Public Health Officer at the Division, Resham Lamichhane.

District Public Health Office, Syangja's Public Health Officer Yam Prasad Sharma shared, "Four of them have already recovered." He added, "Two of them are under medication."

As the fear of spread of infection looms large among the locals here, the health care providers in the locality have advised not to fret.

They have also urged all to take preventive measure against it such as proper hand washing, intake of fluid, avoidance of crowd and using clean cloth or disposable tissues while sneezing among others.

Another team of health care providers are going to Waling for preventing the infection from spreading, informed Public Health Officer Sharma.