H1N1 awareness drive held in Ooty

UDHAGAMANDALAM: Given the fact that Ooty witnesses more visitors during festive season and H1N1 virus sustains longer in cold climate condition, Nilgiris district collector J Innocent Divya conducted H1N1 awareness programme in main bus stand and other tourist spots in the town on Friday.
Four people, including a woman from the Nilgiris, died due to H1N1 in the past one month.However, all the four died in hospitals in Coimbatore. At least, eleven cases of H1N1 were reported in Lawrence school in Lovedale near Ooty. According to health officials, while 10 students recovered after treatment and attending classes, a staff of the school is being treated for the flu.
Keeping in mind the seriousness of the H1N1 virus, the Nilgiris collector inspected main bus stand and distributed handbills about precautionary measures to be observed.
“The H1N1 virus is alive for more time given the fact Ooty is colder. The TNSTC authorities have been instructed to clean the buses coming from the plains for the next trip. Especially, the hand bars should be cleaned with anti-bacterial liquids,” Divya said.
She also interacted with the public in the bus stand and insisted on washing hands with soap frequently as a safety measure.
Later, the collector inspected the two cinema halls. Managements of Ganapathy theatre and Assembly Rooms were instructed to keep the theaters clean, especially the hand rest of the seats.
Meanwhile, five teams, including officials from Ooty municipality, conducted anti-plastic drive at shops in the Ooty municipal market and Commercial Road.
Ooty municipal health officer Dr Murali Shankar said about 21.5kg of plastic items, including plastic bags, plastic spoons and thermocol plates which are banned in the Nilgiris, were seized. “While two teams were deputed to Commercial Road, three teams conducted checks at the shops in municipal market. After seizing the banned plastic items, a sum of Rs 62,000 was collected as fine from the shopkeepers,” he said.