39 test positive for swine flu in Pondy, three of family admitted to Kovai hospital

Puducherry

The minister held discussions with Director of Health Services KV Raman and officials of the public health wing of the department reviewing the steps taken to prevent spread of swine flu, dengue and chikungunya in the Union Territory.

It said that so far Puducherry reported 39 positive cases of swine flu and the patients were being treated in the centrally-sponsored JIPMER and in the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital, Indira Gandhi Government Medical College Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Women and Child hospital here.

Necessary arrangements, including opening of separate isolation wards, were made in the Government General hospital, Medical College hospital and also in the Government Women and Child hospital to treat swine flu patients.

All medical officers attached to primary health centres and community health centres have been sensitised for categorisation of the diseases and also for giving protocol treatment for swine flu, dengue or chikungunya patients, it said.

Even as many districts in Tamil Nadu are in the grip of swine flu, three members of a family from Coimbatore including a pregnant woman were down with the deadly disease and have been admitted to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) for treatment.

Doctors at CMCH confirmed that three members of a family from Vadavalli including a pregnant woman, her husband and mother in law were admitted in the hospital with flu. “All the three were diagnosed with flu and are under intensive care, but are out of danger. Swine flu cases are resurfacing due to conducive weather conditions for the virus to spread following rains over the last few days,” said a doctor, while refusing to divulge details of the family members.

The influenza has already claimed the lives of three persons in Western districts, two from The Nilgiris and another from Erode district within a month.

Gudalur Tahsildar Abdul Rahman, a 60-year-old woman from Melur in Coonoor and 42-year-old Jamaluddin from Vaniyambadi in Vellore district succumbed to the flu.

61-year-old Tambaram man dies

A 61-year-old man from Rajakeelpakkam near Tambaram died of fever, on Monday, at a private hospital in Vadapalani. He is suspected to have been suffering from swine flu. The deceased was identified as Udayasekar, resident of Ranga Nagar third street in Rajakeelpakkam. Police said Udayasekar was affected with fever, on Friday when he visited Trichy. After reaching Chennai on Saturday, he was admitted to a private hospital, in Vadapalani. On Monday morning, he died without responding for treatment. Following the incident, the Sembakkam municipal officials visited the area and took all the necessary steps to prevent the infection from spreading. According to Sembakkam municipal Commissioner R Vasanthi, “Since he was admitted in a private hospital we did not get any information and we were not aware of it. Now we have taken all the necessary steps to prevent the infection from spreading. Moreover, he was affected with fever at Trichy. So people need not fear. Only after getting the doctors report we will know whether it was swine flu.”