Bangaloreans devise new tools to fight swine flu

BANGALORE, INDIA: Right from launching a web site dedicated to informing people about swine flu to screening children at schools, Bangaloreans seem to be taking no chances, as fatalities due to the influenza A (H1N1) virus reached 19 in the city.

In order to create awareness and inform people about the H1N1 virus, three Bangalore-based techies -- Shashi Shekhar Singh, Ashish Sharma and Anil Kumar -- have created a web site.

The site 'swinefluindia.com' has so far received 60,000 hits since its recent launch.

The interactive web site provides vital information such as phone details of screening centres, addresses, cost of testing, procedure at testing centres and ways to sanitize offices.

"One of our friends was unwell and we suspected that he might have been infected with swine flu. When he tried to get information on swine flu on the internet, he failed to get any information. Although he tested negative for the H1N1 virus later, we decided to come up with a web site dedicated to the disease," the techies wrote on their web site.

"We decided to bridge this information gap and give a picture to anyone looking for city specific information about H1N1 virus testing and quarantine procedures," the site further mentions.

City schools have also started using temperature measuring sensors and thermometers to check children at school-entrances.

Around 25 schools in the city have started checking children for any swine flu-like symptoms. If a child has any of the symptoms, the parents are immediately informed and told to get the child checked properly at a hospital.

"It's a good way to check the swine flu menace. Schools have the responsibility to take care of children's health and there is no harm in getting children checked at schools with help from experts," Principal Secretary (Health) I.R. Perumal told IANS.

©IANS