NEPALGUNJ: Even as the swine flu panic has been spreading faster than virus in bordering areas of India, specially following the reported case of the H1N1 influenza in Lucknow, health workers in Rupedia check point of Banke said they were on high alert to prevent the spread into Nepal.

District Public Health Office informed that they had kept the health workers on high alert following the complaints of the locals over the performance of the health workers deployed in the health desk. According to focal person at DPHO Ram Bahadur Chand, they set up two more health desks at the entry point.

Though DPHO had set up a health desk at the border point on June 29, district dwellers had not been satisfied with the work of the health workers at the desk.

However, no patients of swine flu have been detected in the check point so far.

According to health officials, the health desk has examined health of 400 people those entering Nepal via the border point till now. Among them 40 are foreign tourists. Four police personnel have been deployed in the health desk so as to ease the health check up process.

Following the first reported swine flu case in Lucknow on Saturday, Nepalgunj denizens too have started opting for preventive measures to prevent the infection of the deadly disease. Locals have begun donning the masks while the sale of same has gone very high lately, resulting in its scarcity in local markets. Lucknow is at a distance of seven hour drive from Nepalgunj.

The DPHO said they directed the health workers at the desk to examine the incoming people from 5 am to 9 pm everyday. An investigation room has also been set up at Bheri Zonal Hospital in order to facilitate the diagnosing process in case some persons are suspected of the flu. CDO Birendra Kumar Baniya informed that they had used all the measures to prevent swine flu from entering here.

At least 20 persons have lost their lives to the swine flu in neighbouring India as of Friday.