58-year-old woman first casualty of swine flu in Gurugram district

A 58-year-old woman suffering from swine flu died in Gurugram on January 20, confirmed reports by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Delhi on Thursday. This was the first confirmed death due to the H1N1 influenza in Gurugram district this season.

According to officials of the district health department, the woman was admitted on January 4 in a private hospital in the city with shortness of breath, a typical symptom of the influenza. She died later due to further complications, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome causing inflammation of the lungs, hypertension, and H1N1-induced pneumonia.

Earlier, on January 17, a 49-year-old man, a resident of Hayatpur village in the district, was suspected to have succumbed to the influenza, health department officials said. However, officials could not confirm if the death was due to swine flu, as the private hospital where he was admitted didn’t collect blood samples to send to the NCDC for confirmation.

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed swine flu cases has touched 29 this month in the district. The number of suspected cases is 125, said Dr Jai Bhagwan Jatain, district malaria officer.

From January 1 till January 29, 388 patients have tested positive for swine flu in Haryana, according to state health department officials. In Delhi, as many as 512 H1N1 cases have been confirmed, as per the data released by the government. This month, Rajasthan has reported the highest number of cases— 1,856 cases and 72 deaths, according to data from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme.

Health officials are conducting awareness camps and drives for health workers and residents of the district. “Active case finding is being carried out by a team of multi-purpose health workers and nurses. Once a case of swine flu is reported, around 50 houses near the patient’s house are checked to find if anyone else has contracted the H1N1 virus,” said Dr Brahmdeep Sandhu, chief medical officer, MCG, adding that the city’s residents should ensure cleanliness around themselves so that the infection doesn’t spread.

Residents have also been advised to consult a doctor as soon as they show symptoms and to not take medication without consultation. Doctors said that if flu symptoms persist for more than three days, even after taking medication, it might be a sign of swine flu and the person should get tested.

First Published: Feb 01, 2019 11:14 IST