February 24, 2002
‘31’
SUSPECTED CASES OF PNEUMONIC PLAGUE
ANOTHER NICD TEAM SENT TO CHANDIGARH
On February 22, 2002, one patient and on February 23, 2002, two more patients with symptoms similar to that of Plague were admitted to PGI, Chandigarh. These consisted of Smt. Karamjeet Kaur of Riyond village of Mansa District, Punjab and her baby daughter. The husband of Smt. Karamjeet Kaur, Sh. Kishan Singh, had earlier died at PGI with Plague like symptoms, after having been treated at two Government hospitals and one private clinic for ailments relating to lung infection. Smt. Karamjeet Kaur was earlier admitted to Hissar hospital from where she was referred to PGI, Chandigarh..Clinical samples from the patients are under investigation. The clinical samples from these patients have not shown any suspicious bacterial growth so far. However, as a measure of abundant caution, the various contacts of the three patients at different hospitals and their family settings are being administered prophylactic treatment and have been isolated from general population.
Public health advisories have been issued to Punjab, Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh regarding undiagnosed fever and respiratory ailment. The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) has strengthened its team at Chandigarh by sending four experts in addition to the two already sent to monitor the infection control measures in the areas at risk. The situation is being closely watched by the Central and State governments.