The state government on Tuesday informed the Assembly that A(H1N1) or swine flu virus is well under check in the state.
Chief minister Ms J. Jayalalithaa told the House that tests to detect the virus were being conducted for free at the King’s Institute, Guindy, and Government Medical College Hospitals in Coimbatore, Madurai and Tirunelveli.
Intervening during a special call attention motion by members of various political parties in the Assembly on Tuesday, Ms Jayalalithaa said that all the 12 private labs authorised by the government to conduct swine flu tests had been strictly told not to charge beyond Rs 3,000 for conducting the tests. Swab tests were being done free of cost at the government-run institutions.
Later, replying to the motion, health minister Dr V.S. Vijay said that there was no need to panic as the disease was well under control owing to the swift action by the state government.
However, as a precautionary measure, the government has established a round-the-clock-control room (044 – 24326560) to monitor the situation.
“Fears are unfounded because swine flu is not a pandemic but a seasonal flu,” he said adding the vaccines would be procured at a cost of Rs 55 lakh.