MULTAN-The Swine Flu (H1N1) virus has gone wild as it attacked the medics after general public and three doctors have so far been confirmed infected, health sources disclosed.
All the three doctors are appointed at Nishtar hospital and one of them has been shifted to ICU while the two others are in the Isolation Ward.
The Swine Flu, also named as Seasonal Influenza by the health department, has so far killed 19 persons in South Punjab region while 19 others, who tested positive are under treatment at Nishtar Hospital Multan. Similarly, the blood examination reports of 13 suspected patients of influenza are still awaited.
Sources said that although the medical staff treating the influenza patients had been vaccinated, yet the virus attacked the doctors, leaving two lady and one male doctors infected.
The news regarding virus attack on the doctors spread serious concerns among the medics and many doctors reportedly went on leave. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif also sought report from the minister and secretary health on the outbreak.
On the other hand, the health department launched a massive awareness campaign at public places and educational institutions. The doctors suggested to the people to wear masks and stay away from the persons suffering from influenza. They also asked the citizens to adopt hand-washing as a permanent habit, use balanced diet, take seven to eight hour sleep and refrain from shaking hand with the infected person.
Meanwhile, the health workers demanded the government to ensure implementation of precautionary measures for the doctors and other medical staff and pay them health risk allowance. President of UDF, a doctors' body, Dr Zulqarnain alleged that the vaccination had not been initiated at many hospitals despite health minister's directives.
He said that serious unrest and concerns prevailed among doctors after the reports regarding infection of three doctors surfaced. He demanded the government to make arrangement for the treatment of the infected doctors on priority basis.