2 suspected cases of swine flu in Vizag

Two suspected cases of swine flu have been reported in the city. A six-year-old boy died on Friday after he was brought to King George Hospital while under treatment at at a private hospitals for past 20 days.

The patient had complained of fever with vomitings for 20 days and was treated at private hospitals at Gajuwaka, Narsipatnam and the city before being shifted to the KGH in the early hours of Friday where he died, District Medical and Health Officer R.Shyamala said. The boy was reported to have a congenital heart disease.

The hospital authorities had collected a swab and sent it to Hyderabad for testing and only after they get the results from the labs in Hyderabad can they confirm that it was Swine Flu, she added.

Another girl was admitted to the KGH with complaint of fever and cough for last one week. Her mother had died of respiratory illness at a private hospital on Thursday evening. The patient is under treatment and sample has been sent to Hyderabad for diagnosis.

Pb Health Dept gears up to tackle swine flu outbreak

Shaken out of slumber with a swine flu death in the State, Punjab Government has geared up its health machinery to prevent further spread of swine flue by taking precautionary measures.  A 55-year-old woman had succumbed to H1N1 virus in Amritsar on Tuesday.  Holding an emergent meeting of the health officers on Thursday, State Health and Family Welfare Minister Surjeet Kumar Jayani directed that all Government hospitals should set up separate screening area to screen outdoor patients and also set up well-equipped isolation wards to admit those requiring indoor treatment.

Already, the State Government had sent guidelines to medical colleges and hospitals and district medical officers regarding the swine flu and instructed to remain prepared.  Accordingly, all healthcare institutions in the State are prepared to handle any such incident and they have been provided with ample swine flu medicines and masks, said the Minister. Jayani said that although there was one positive case of H1N1 influenza that died due to swine flu, there were 11 suspected cases of swine flu in Punjab who were being investigated further.

“The mock exercises generating awareness amongst public have also been conducted in the State,” he said. Minister said that all identified hospitals have been directed to be ready with advanced life support ambulance. “The ambulance staff should follow standard precautions while handling the patient and airborne precautions if aerosol generating procedures are done,” he said.

Triple layer surgical masks should be available and worn during transport, he said adding that as far as possible, the movements should be restricted. Jayani also asked the authorities to disinfect the ambulance after shifting the swine-flu infected patient. “Detailed guidelines have also been sent to all educational institutions in Punjab under which heads of the institutions have been asked to monitor health status of such students or staff that might have come in contact with a suspected case of influenza H1N1 to see whether they develop flu like symptoms,” he said, adding that in case they do so, they should be allowed to stay home.

The hostel mess contractors have also been directed to ensure that the care providers wear face mask and wash hands regularly. 

Man dies of swine flu in Maharashtra

A 42-year-old man died of swine flu at a government hospital in Aurangabad, officials said on Thursday.

The victim identified as Shabbir Hussain Mustafa, a resident of Hilal colony in the city, was rushed to the government medical college and hospital (GMCH) on Wednesday in a critical state after his condition deteriorated.

He died on Wednesday evening.

According to Dr Mangala Borkar, head of medicine department, his lungs were damaged and he was kept on ventilator. He was administered Tamiflu capsules after he showed symptoms of flu but he did not respond to it.

Mustafa was already undergoing treatment since last one week at a private hospital in Aurangabad.

This is the first swineflu casualty in the region in last six months.