Three more test positive for H1N1

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 18

The deadly influenza is slowly spreading its tentacles in the state as three cases, including two women from Arki and Chopal in Shimla district and third from Dehra in Kangra today, tested positive for the swine flu.

This has taken the total of swine flu cases to 12 out of which two patients, one from Solan and one from Kangra, had died.

The patients, who tested positive for swine flu virus at the IGMC included a 32-year-old woman from Chopal and 46-year woman from Arki, Solan. A blood sample of a patient admitted at the medical college Tanda also turned positive for swine flu, taking the total cases to 12.

“We tested seven samples of suspected flu and three tested positive”, said Dr Ramesh Chand, Medical Superintendent, IGMC. The two patients at the IGMC are out of danger as they were brought here on time”, he added.

Dr Chand said the swine flu patients, the family members and people, who came in contact with them, were advised to be monitored to prevent the spread of influenza.

On the other hand, health officials said block medical officers had been directed to keep surveillance of the family members of the patient in Chopal, as this is the first case of swine flu from Shimla district. Ajay Kumar of Solan had died of swine flu while another patient from Arki had tested positive for the swine flu, said IGMC doctors.

Another suspected swine flu case in Kangra

KANGRA: A suspected swine flu case, a 50-year-old man from Shyam Nagar, Dharamsala, whose sample was sent to the Microbiology Department  of DRPGMC, Tanda, for processing on Wednesday came to the fore.
Dr Dinesh Sood, Medical Superintendent, DRPGMC, Tanda, said the results of the latest sample would be available tonight. Dr Anil Chauhan,  Principal, DRPGMC, said following the direction of Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur, service engineers arrived at Tanda and rectified the machine after replacing the thermal cycler assembly  and swine flu testing was started on the machine. He said a standby machine too was brought here by suppliers. SC Jaryal, HoD, Microbiology Department, DRPGMC, said the machine for H1N1 sample testing had started working and a sample of a suspected case was under process. The machine had developed snag from the day first case of swine flu was detected here. Dinesh Sood,  Medical Superintendent, said two patients were under treatment in the DRPGMC which included swine flu case from Palampur and another suspected swine flu case from Shyam Nagar Dharamsala.— OC