Swine flu diagnostic labs in Aurangabad by October end

Mumbai: The state health department has assured the Bombay high court that by the end of the month, laboratories to check swine flu/H1N1 will be operational in the Aurangabad and Latur government medical colleges. It has also assured that by the end of the year, centres will be up and running in other districts like Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Kolhapur. Till now, the practice has been to send patients’ swabs to laboratories in Pune or Mumbai, in the bargain delaying treatment. This year, 259 people have succumbed to swine flu in the state, of which, 33 deaths have been reported from Pimpri-Chinchwad, 28 from Satara, and 17 from Kolhapur, according to the health department.

State surveillance officer Dr Pradip Awate told The Asian Age, “Our government has taken necessary steps to prevent the outbreak of swine flu /H1N1 virus.”

“At present, there are 31 approved laboratories — 26 private and five government-run. We are planning to increase their number,” he said.