Swine Flu Claims Two More Lives In Punjab

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AMRITSAR – A suspected swine flu patient admitted to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital died early this morning. The condition of four other suspected swine flu patients admitted to the hospital is also critical.

Twelve patients admitted to the isolation ward here have died since January 26. However, the district health authorities have claimed that only four of them were confirmed cases of swine flu. Two other swine flu patients died at private hospitals during this period.

Five patients have tested negative for the disease. Test reports are still awaited in three other cases. The increasing number of such deaths has created a panic among the hospital staff and visitors.

During a visit to the hospital, a large number of employees and visitors were seen wearing masks. Many others used their handkerchiefs or dupattas to cover their faces.

Owner of a medicine shop situated outside the hospital said, “The demand for masks has gone up. We have ordered fresh stocks to meet the demand.” He said many people came to the shop enquiring about vaccines that could immunise them against swine flu.

In charge of the swine flu ward at the hospital Dr NS Neki said, “Private hospitals refer patients to us only when the death is almost certain.” A woman patient referred to the hospital by doctors of a private hospital died within 30 minutes of being brought here on February 9, he added. In another case reported on January 26, a woman patient died within two hours after being referred by a private hospital.

Civil Surgeon Dr Rajiv Bhalla said, “It is immoral to delay the referral of any patient in a critical case, but we cannot take an action until family members of the deceased patient file a written complaint in that regard.” He said he would issue a letter asking hospitals to refer a patient to a tertiary care health centre as soon as possible, if they suspect it to be a case of swine flu.

Faridkot: Kalnandi Devi, a 55-year-old woman of Jodhpur Romana village in Bathinda, died of swine flu at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot, this morning. This is the second incident of swine flu death in Faridkot.

Kalnandi was admitted to the isolation ward of the medical college on February 7 with severe chest infection. Her blood samples were sent to the PGIMER, Chandigarh, for H1N1 tests. On February 9, she was declared suffering from swine flu.

On February 8, a 58-year-old woman had died of the deadly disease while undergoing treatment at the medical college here. She belonged to Pakhi Khurd village of Faridkot.

Four patients showing symptoms of swine flu were admitted to the hospital. Two of them tested positive for swine flu and they died within 48 hours of the receipt of the confirmation report from the PGIMER, Chandigarh.

The blood samples of two other suspected swine flu patients have also been sent to the PGIMER and the report is awaited. The suspected patients have been kept in the isolation ward here.

Though the hospital authorities claimed the doctors and paramedical staff attending and treating H1N1 patients had been provided with all safety equipment, scare was clearly palpable among the hospital staff.

Twelve hospital employees look after these patients round-the-clock.