The Hindu 15.08.2009

Corporation conducts screening camps

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation on Thursday conducted screening camps in 30 slums in the city.

A total of 7,000 patients were screened and 550 cases with ordinary fever but without sore throat or cough were identified. At the Communicable Diseases Hospital in Tondiarpet around 1,000 patients were screened.

Corporation Health Officer P. Kuganandam said the initiative was being held to identify suspected swine flu cases using World Health Organisation criteria of high fever, running nose, sneezing, coughing and sore throat for more than three days. In all these cases, only one person was suspected of having swine flu and his blood sample has been sent for testing. The camps were conducted in Ezhil Nagar, K. K. Nagar, Ayodhya Kuppam, Saidapet and Periyar Nagar.

The civic body’s Health department had planned to conduct such camps in other places too.

Meanwhile, Mayor M. Subramanian said if parents of children studying in Corporation schools did not want their wards to participate in the Independence Day march past, they need not participate.

“We will not be punishing the child or impose fine for her/his absence.”

However, he said there was nothing to be afraid of about participating in the march past.