Mangaluru : The District Disease Surveillance Officer B.V. Rajesh said patients admitted to the hospital for H1N1 treatment are finding treatment cost too high.

Speaking at a programme to generate awareness on H1N1 here on Friday at Milagres hall, Dr. Rajesh said a patient has been billed at Rs. 24,000 for seven days of treatment. Family members were finding the treatment expensive.

Dr. Rajesh said the government was providing anti-viral tablets free of cost. There is no charge on testing of throat swabs of suspected cases of H1N1 at the two centres in Manipal and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru. Dr. Rajesh said the State government was considering bearing the expenses of patients. He said since January as many as 183 samples were tested, of which 30 persons were found positive for H1N1. Three persons died.

Mohammed Ismail, the Associate Professor of Kasturba Medical College, said the best way to protect from H1N1 was to follow good hygiene. He said people should wash their hands more often using soap. Dr. Ismail said complications occur only in five per cent of the cases. The programme was organised by Highland Islamic Forum’s Medical Cell.