Goa tourists to face swine-flu checks

Tourists visiting Goa are to be screened for swine flu.

State health minister Vishwajeet Rane said cases of the illness were likely to rise as temperatures cooled, and measures were required to protect the public against an outbreak.

“The Union health ministry has assured us thermal scanners will be installed at the airport,” Mr Rane said. “We don’t want to create panic but we are also not in the mood to take any chances.”

He added that four ventilators were due to be bought for the government hospital’s special intensive care unit for treating critical swine flu cases.

His statements come soon after a 67-year-old man who arrived from Bangalore died from suspected swine flu at a private hospital in the state on Saturday.

Around 2.4 million tourists, including 400,000 foreigners, visit Goa every year.

More than 40,000 passengers arriving at 22 international airports across India from countries affected by swine flu have been screened, according to the health ministry.

So far, 2,772 swabs have tested positive and 60 people have died of the H1N1 virus in the country, official figures stated.