Nashik: Of the 59 people from the city limits who have contracted swine flu since January this year, three people have succumbed to the disease.The health department of Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has appealed to citizens to exercise caution as swine-flu is a communicable disease that spreads through air. It has also started creating awareness by making announcements on the causes and symptoms of the disease through the garbage vans.While seven people tested positive for swine flu in January, 40 cases were detected in February and 12 were detected till March 15.“Of the 59 patients who contracted swine flu, three people died in February alone. While one patient was from Tapovan Road, the other two were from Pavan Nagar, Cidco and Nashik Road respectively,” said NMC’s medical superintendent Rahul Gaikwad.“We have already started creating awareness by making announcements through the garbage vans making rounds in Nashik Road and West division. I have asked other divisions to follow the same procedure on a priority basis as awareness is very important. Swine flue is an air-borne disease and hence precaution is the best measure,” said Gaikwad.He said that one patient died of swine flu in the corresponding period last year. He further said that there was a surge in the number of swine flu cases this year due to the prolonged winter.“Last year, swine flu cases emerged between July and August. This year, it is still cold at a time when summer should have started. There has been a lot of fluctuation in the temperature due to which the virus of swine flu is still active in the air,” said Gaikwad.Once the temperature drops, cases of swine flu will also go down. Doctors at the civic administration said there was sufficient stock of tamiflu tablets in NMC hospitals to cater to the demand.As a precautionary measure, the doctors suggested that if a person has fever and cough and cold, he should visit a doctor immediately and start taking medication rather than waiting for the ailments to subside. Maintaining personal hygiene like washing hands with disinfectant soap and water and avoiding close contact with people suffering from any disease were also suggested.

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