Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, April 11
The Health Department of Maharashtra has ordered public hospitals across the state to screen patients for swine flu after more than 100 people died of it so far in 2017.
“The death toll from swine flu till April 10 this year has touched 101,” Mukund Diggikar, Joint Director, state Health Department, said here today. More than 7,300 people have shown symptoms of swine flu and were undergoing tests, he said.
At the moment, 181 persons are undergoing treatment for swine flu in various hospitals. Thirty of them are critical and under ventilator support, according to the Health Department. Health officials say the heat wave earlier this month and humid conditions across the state has worsened the situation with many swine flu cases coming to light. Swine flu is caused by the H1N1 virus. Pregnant women, children and aged people are most vulnerable to the virus.