H1N1 invades Gujarat cabinet, precautions taken

That it has added to the already swelling count of infections or that the person, per se, is a VIP appears to be a trivial matter, considering that his infection may cripple the entire Gujarat administration and, to some extent, the corporate world as well.

Six-feet influence area
The reason is not far to seek. The chief minister would have met a lot of ‘who’s who’ as a part of his daily schedule, ignorant of the fact that the influenza has afflicted him.

A senior health official admitted, "We are also worried for those who had sat with the CM for more than an hour within the six-feet influence area of the H1N1 virus. In fact, every official or person who had come in touch, including the CM's security have been administered Tamiflu as precautionary measure.”

“We are keeping a close watch on the contact cases as the virus may be dormant for the moment but may become active later under favourable conditions," cautioned the official.

H1N1 attends cabinet meeting
The chief minister’s entire cabinet was with him in a meeting for three hours Thursday. As per the guidelines issued by the health ministry, all these ministers are under a medical scanner and have been put on Tamiflu for 10 days.

"He was coughing all through. He was even advised by some of us to take rest. But he brushed aside the suggestion, saying sub-zero temperatures in Moscow had led to common cold, which he would overcome," said a senior minister who was present at the meeting.

The bigwigs on Tamiflu include Vajubhai Vala, minister of state for home Amit Shah, revenue minister Anandi Patel and energy minister Saurabh Patel.

Flu scare at Gujarat Inc.
Gujarat Inc., too, may have to bear the brunt of the highly contagious swine flu virus, for a few top executives of the corporate world accompanied chief minister Narendra Modi to participate in the International Energy Week at Moscow.

The industry representatives have tested negative for swine flu, but have been asked to exercise caution. All of them have been put on the swine flu medicine, Tamiflu, for the next 10 days.

Sudhir Mehta, chairman, Torrent group, Pranav Adani, MD, Adani Wilmar Group, Nitin Shukla, CEO, Shell-Hazira, Hari Bharatiya of Jubilant, Nikhil Merchant, chairman, Swan Group, and Jayesh Buch, executive director, Essar group had all accompanied Narendra Modi to Moscow.

All these top honchos were, as a precautionary measure, quarantined at home for a night till their samples were being tested in Civil Hospital.

"I was advised to avoid public meetings for at least three days and not shake hands with people for at least a week. On Friday morning, I was informed that my test is negative. But, I was asked to be careful," said Jayesh Buch, executive director, Essar Group.