Scrub typhus, swine flu claim 2 lives in Hadauti

KOTA: Scrub typhus claimed life of a 50-year-old man in Kota on Monday, while another 25-year-old woman from Namana village in Bundi district died of swine flu on Sunday after she was tested positive with H1N1 virus. Six other fresh cases of scrub typhus were detected in Kota on Monday. The medical experts have, however, termed the current strain of swine flu to be ‘less lethal’ and recommended precautionary measures against scrub typhus that generally appears to stronger during rainy season.
Shiv Prasad, a resident of Khanpur town of Jhalawar district, was tested positive with scrub typhus and was undergoing medical treatment at MBS Hospital in Kota. Shiv Prasad died during treatment on Monday morning. On Monday, as many as six fresh cases of scrub typhus, including three from Kota, two from Bundi, one from Baran were detected, besides nine cases of dengue. Refuting swine flu death in Kota in recent days, Kota CMHO B S Tanwar said that the patient died of swine flu on Sunday was from Bundi and claimed no death of swine flu was recorded in Kota in recent days. Swine flu has claimed 16 lives this year since January and 269 cases detected in Kota district, while scrub typhus so far counts 23 cases and zero death with one doubtful one as medical audit has not yet cleared the reason of death, the CMHO said.
Ramdhani Meena, a resident of Namana village in Bundi district, had been taking medical treatment at her home after medical check-up at Kota’s new medical college hospital, told deputy chief medical and health officer, Bundi, Dr Avanish Sharma. Meena died on Sunday and medical test report from new medical college hospital, Kota confirmed her to be tested with H1N1 virus after her death on Sunday, he added. At least 22 persons have so far been detected with swine flu virus in Bundi district since January this year and other 6 have so far died of swine flu in the district, the Dy. CMHO said adding scrub typhus has counted 17 positives and zero death in Bundi district.
There are sporadic cases of swine flu probably caused by its virus’ post outbreak persistent in the community and travel, however, ‘it has been observed the new strain of H1N1 virus is not so lethal as previous one used to be and can be checked and treated on detection and medical care in time, told Manoj Saluja, senior professor in medicine in Kota medical college, he further added.