Fresh guidelines and strategies stipulating screening and testing segment for patients to contain swine flu in the country have been issued by the Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad after finalizing the same in a high-level meeting and discussed protocols developed by the World Health Organization in Geneva, Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Atlanta, USA and National Health Service, United Kingdom and the numerous actions taken by the government for inhibition and mitigation of H1N1 cases considering the escalating swine flu cases across the country.

According to guidelines, every person seeking consultation for flu-like symptoms would be screened at healthcare facilities or examined by a doctor and will be classified broadly under three categories A, B and C depending on their health status.

Slight fever plus cough/sore throat with or without body ache, headache, diarrhea and vomiting has been branded as Category-A.

Category B has two subcategories - BI is characterized by symptoms like high fever, severe sore throat plus those of category A whereas BII is found in pregnant women, persons aged 65 years or older, and patients with lung diseases, heart, liver and kidney disease.

Category C shows symptoms like chest pain, low blood pressure, discoloration of nails, drowsiness etc.