Swine flu claims another life in Patiala district

Patiala, August 27

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Swine flu claimed second life in the district in the past three days.

A 22-year-old youth, who was admitted to the PGI, Chandigarh, succumbed to the disease on Friday night. According to the Health Department, though there was no medical history of the flu virus of the youngster, PGI records were being awaited to ascertain the likely cause of the death.

On Wednesday, a 50-year-old resident of Patiala had died of swine flu at a private hospital in Mohali. He had comorbidities, claimed health officials. After the second death due to swine flu, the Patiala Health Department today appealed to residents to take appropriate precautions against the virus.

District epidemiologist Divjot Singh said they had identified 10 contacts of the youngster who died at the PGI. “Oseltamivir, also called Tamiflu, an antiviral medication used to treat and prevent H1N1, is being given to the close contacts of swine flu patients. Our staff is already in the field and closely monitoring the situation,” he said.

The epidemiologist said they had already directed the district hospital and subdivisional hospitals to make swine flu wards to manage and treat patients.