India Before and After the Independence. With the decision by Britain to withdraw from the Indian subcontinent, the Congress Party and Muslim League agreed in June 1947 to a partition of India along religious lines. Under the provisions of the Indian Independence Act, India and Pakistan were established as independent dominions with predominantly Hindu areas allocated to India and predominantly Muslim areas to Pakistan. After India's independence on August 15, 1947, India received most of the subcontinent's 562 widely scattered polities, or princely states, as well as the majority of the British provinces, and parts of three of the remaining provinces. Muslim Pakistan received the remainder. Pakistan consisted of a western wing, with the approximate boundaries of modern Pakistan, and an eastern wing, with the boundaries of present-day Bangladesh. The division of the subcontinent caused tremendous dislocation of populations; inter-communal violence cost more than 1,000,000 lives. Some 3.5 million Hindus and Sikhs moved from Pakistan into India, andabout 5 million Muslims migrated from India to Pakistan. In Punjab, where the Sikh community was cut in half, a period of terrible bloodshed followed. Overall, the demographic shift caused an initial bitterness between the two countries that was further intensified by each country's accession of a portion of the princely states. Adding to the tensions, the issue of the polities Kashmir, Hyderabad, and the small and fragmented state of Junagadh (in present-day Gujarat), remained unsettled at independence. Later, the Muslim ruler of Hindu-majority Junagadh agreed to join to Pakistan, but a movement by his people, followed by Indian military action and a plebiscite (people's vote of self-determination), brought the state into India. The nizam of Hyderabad, also a Muslim ruler of a Hindu-majority populace, tried to maneuver to gain independence for his very large and populous state, which was, however, surrounded by India. After more than a year of fruitless negotiations, India sent its army in a police action in September 1948, and Hyderabad became part of India. The Hindu ruler of Kashmir, whose subjects were 85 percent Muslim, decided to join India. Pakistan, however, questioned his right to do so, and a war broke out between India and Pakistan. A cease-fire was arranged in 1949, with the cease-fire line creating a de facto partition of the region. The central and eastern areas of the state came under Indian administration as Jammu and Kashmir state, while the northwestern quarter came under Pakistani control as Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas. Although a UN peacekeeping force was sent in to enforce the cease-fire, the dispute was not resolved.This deadlock has intensified suspicion and antagonism between the two countries. In 1971, Pakistan was itself subdivided when its eastern section broke away and formed Bangladesh. Border disputes continue to embitter Pakistani-Indian relations, as Pakistan has produced a series of autocratic military rulers, while India maintained a parliamentary democracy.

Independence Day Images Mahatma Gandhi Jawaharlal Nehru

Swine flu: Symptoms & precautions



Origin

Swine Flu is a respiratory disease, caused by a strain of the influenza virus known as H1N1.

Although, H1N1 is the same strain that causes seasonal outbreaks of flu in humans, the latest type is different as it is a mutated version containing genetic material that is generally found in strains of the virus that affect humans, birds and swine (pigs).

What has happened this time is that the flu viruses from humans and pigs have swapped genetic components with each other, and evolved into a completely new variety – Hence the absence of any concrete treatment plan for it.

Although the strain may have originated in pigs, it is now a wholly human disease and is being transmitted person-to-person.

Symptoms:

The first symptoms of swine flu are fever (greater than 100°F or 37.8°C), sore throat, body ache and fatigue. Some patients have also complained about running nose, diarrhoea and vomiting.

Persons who have travelled overseas recently should be extra cautious and seek medical help immediately if they have these symptoms.

But these symptoms alone would not suggest that a person is infected by Swine Flu, as it can be confirmed only after testing a respiratory specimen, that’s taken from the suspected case within the first four to five days.

So it is important to seek medical help if one feels that he/she has flu.

Precautions:

As the flu is now spreading by people-to-people to contact, the infection primarily spreads when a person comes in close contact with an infected person. The simple way to minimise the risk is by covering the mouth and nose while coughing and sneezing and wearing a mask while going close to the infected person.

Maintaining high level of hygiene is also important and one should always wash hands frequently with soap and water.

Since influenza spreads through both air and contact with contaminated surfaces, surface sanitizing may help prevent some infections. For that alcohol is an effective sanitizer, bleach can also be used to sanitize rooms or equipment that have been occupied by patients with influenza symptoms.

Treatment

People with the flu are advised to get plenty of rest, drink plenty of liquids, avoid using alcohol and tobacco and, if necessary, take medications such as paracetamol (acetaminophen) to relieve the fever and muscle aches associated with the flu.

However, the best way would be to get in touch with your doctor, who can help you get the right treatment.

Preventive medications are not advisable as it may lead to the development of resistance to the only known effective drug Tamiflu – the government of India has adequate stock of the drug.

Emergency Help

If any person has all or any of the above mentioned symptoms he/she should not panic and get themselves tested in any of the government hospitals.

Swine Flu-Precautions!

Swine Influenza and what you need to be aware of!



Swine influenza (also swine flu) refers to influenza caused by any strain of the influenza virus endemic in pigs (swine). Strains endemic in swine are called swine influenza virus (SIV).

The Chairman of the travel Agents Association of India has released a few pointers for public awareness and precautions. India may be safe, though there is a case in New Delhi where 2 people have been kept under strict observation in view of the worldwide pandemic.



In humans, the symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of influenza and of influenza-like illness in general, namely chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort. The strain responsible for the 2009 swine flu outbreak in most cases causes only mild symptoms and the infected person recovers fully in a few days.

1. What are the 5 simple steps a customer should take while traveling?

Check on health care resources in the area you'll be visiting before you depart.

While you're in an area with reported swine flu cases, wash your hands often with soap and water, or if soap isn't available, use an alcohol-based hand gel.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.

If you get sick while traveling, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough, and throw the tissue in the trash afterward.

Seek medical care if you are ill with a fever and other symptoms of swine flu, especially if you think you may have had contact with someone with swine flu or severe respiratory illness in the seven days before you got sick.

2. Do’s and Don’ts while traveling to another country during this tenure?
Before traveling, people in high-risk groups -- such as the elderly and people with chronic conditions such as diabetes, lung disease, or heart disease -- should get the prescription antiviral medications Tamiflu or Relenza to take while traveling in areas that have reported cases of swine flu.

Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

If you're sick, don't travel, except to get local medical care. Try to limit contact with other people, so your germs don't spread.

3. What should travelers do while coming back into the country?

Once you get home from an area with reported swine flu cases, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) asks that you closely monitor your health for seven days. If you get sick during that time, call your doctor or clinic for an appointment. And when you arrive for your appointment, tell the doctor your symptoms where you traveled, and if you had close contact with someone infected with swine flu.

4. In case of emergency what should they do in the country they are traveling to?

Take updates from the CDC, WHO, and local health authorities, and follow their guidelines.

Swine Flu

Swine flu is a Type A influenza virus which causes regular outbreaks of flu in pigs, but is rarely fatal. In the past. swine flu has not normally affected humans, although there have been a few cases reported in people with direct exposure to pigs or in those who have been near pigs. From December 2005 to February 2009, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 12 cases of human infection with swine flu.

In late April 2009, the outbreak of more than a thousand cases of swine flu in humans in Mexico, and a suspected 86 deaths, as well as another 11 cases confirmed in the United States, led the World Health Organization to say that the outbreak has "pandemic potential" and to urge all countries to increase their reporting and surveillance of influenza and to be on high alert for any unusual patterns.

On April 26, 2009, six cases of swine flu in humans were reported in Canada - four in students in Nova Scotia, and two in British Columbia. The six cases were all very mild. By April 29, the number of cases had risen to 19, with health officials predicting more to come.

Symptoms of Swine Flu

The symptoms of swine flu are usually like those of regular seasonal flu and include:

• headache
• chills
• cough
• fever
• loss of appetite
• aches
• fatigue
• runny nose
• sneezing
• watery eyes
• throat irritation
• nausea and vomiting
• diarrhea
• in people with chronic conditions, pneumonia may develop

Precautions Against Swine Flu

Good standard flu prevention techniques are recommended to protect yourself against swine flu:

• Get a regular seasonal flu vaccination. It might not help against this specific strain, but it won't hurt.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and hot running water. If hot water is not available, use an alcohol-based hand gel.
• When you cough and sneeze, cover your mouth and nose. Wash your hands afterwards.
• Avoid being near others who might be sick.
• Stay home if you are sick, to avoid affecting others.

Precautions for Travellers

• Before you travel, find out what vaccines you will need and where to get them. Visit your family doctor or a travel health clinic at least six weeks before your departure date.
• If you get sick when you are travelling, seek medical assistance.
• If you are sick when you return to Canada, or have been near someone who is, you must tell a customs or quarantine office, who will decide if you need further medical assessment.
• If you get sick after you return to Canada, see a health care provider. Be sure to tell him/her the countries you visited, if you were sick while away and any medical care or treatment your received.

Take Precautions Against Swine Flu

Everybody should be using some basic precautions to avoid catching swine flu - but if you're in treatment for breast cancer, you may want to be extra careful. Chemotherapy treatments can lower your immune system and cause you to be neutropenic. When that happens, your defense against any germs are not sufficient to protect you nor to help you recover in a timely way. In this case, your best defense is to avoid situations where germs are likely to be plentiful. When your blood counts return to normal, just use common sense to keep away from germs. Here's some ways to take precautions:

• Stay home whenever possible. Ask your support team to get groceries, walk your dog, bring work home from the office, or whatever else you can delegate.
• If you develop a fever of 100.5F or higher, call your doctor right away (day or night) and start drinking plenty of fluids. Stay well hydrated and get a diagnosis and treatment for whatever is causing your fever.
• If you cough or sneeze, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue and then toss it out. No tissues handy? Turn your face into the crook of your elbow, to keep germs from flying away.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water or alcohol sanitizer - this will kill most germs.
• Avoid people who have a fever, cough, or sneezing, or complain of any flu-like symptoms
• If you feel like you are developing flu symptoms, don't wait to see if it will just go away. Call your doctor or nurse practitioner and ask for advice or an appointment.

Radiation treatments for breast cancer can cause you to have swallowing problems, cough, or shortness of breath. This is because radiation may affect your esophagus, throat, or lungs. Let your doctor know, if you're having these problems. This kind of cough is not a flu symptom, but if you are concerned about your cough or any other symptoms, such as fatigue, pain, or skin changes, you should ask your doctor for help.