MADURAI/THENI/VIRUDHUNAGAR: Swine flu death toll shot up to 12 at Government Rajaji Hospital, with the death of a 11-year-old boy on Friday. According to the hospital sources, Dharanidharan (11), a resident of Nagamalai Pudukottai in Madurai district, was admitted to the hospital a few days ago with symptoms of swine flu.
Later, he tested positive for the influenza virus, and on Friday afternoon, he succumbed. Five persons have died in the past three days, including three women who died on Thursday alone.
Meanwhile, a 60-year-old woman succumbed to swine flu at Government Medical College Hospital in Kanavilakku near Aandipatti on Friday. According to sources, Malliga, a resident of Keela Odai Street, was admitted to the hospital with severe fever, three days ago. There, it was confirmed that she was infected with swine flu.
On Friday, she succumbed without responding to treatment. Sources added that medical officers warned her family members not to touch her body while handing it over to them. They were also administered medicines to prevent the spread of the disease. Dean of the hospital Rajendran confirmed that Malliga died of swine flu. Informing that the hospital has adequate medicines to treat fever, he urged people to visit the hospital the moment they contract fever.
Five victims in Virudhunagar
With swine flu claiming five lives in the district so far, health officials are taking measures on war-footing manner to curb the spread of the disease in the district. As many as 59 people have tested positive for the Influenza A Virus (H1N1) in the district.
Speaking to Express, Joint Director of Health Services Dr R Manoharan said that the government hospitals in the district are well equipped to treat swine flu. The doctors were working round the clock to attend the patients, he added.
Highlighting the measures taken, he said that separate out-patient queues, in-patient ward have been created exclusively for the swine flu patients in the hospital, and adequate stock of Oseltamivir drug is available in the hospital free of cost.
About the safety of the hospital staff, he said, “The staff are using masks, and gloves inside the swine flu ward. The bathroom handle, doors, cot handles and other materials inside the ward are cleaned everyday.”