Chandigarh, December 17
Fifty-five cases of swine flu (H1N1) have been reported at the Western Command Hospital, Chandimandir, since the spread of the disease in this part of the region.
According to the hospital authorities, majority of those infected were serving soldiers, with 11 patients being family members of armed forces personnel. However, there has been no fatality due to H1N1 at the hospital.
At present, two patients are still admitted to the hospital for treatment, while the rest have been discharged following recovery. A separate ward with requisite facilities has been set up at the hospital to deal with swine flu cases.
Besides Chandimandir, there have also been reports of Army personnel getting infected with the virus at other stations. Since soldiers have to travel quite frequently on official duties, they remain susceptible to infection while moving around at crowded public places like railway stations, bus stands, trains and markets. An infected soldier can put other soldiers, living in barracks or undertaking collective activities, at the risk of getting infected with the virus.
Swine flu has affected military personnel in several countries, including the United States, Great Britain and Germany.
