Pune shows declining trend in swine flu infections
POSTED August 19, 2009 - 13:53 | POSTED BY Jyoti Pal
Last edited by Priya Markanda on August 19, 2009 - 14:09
On Tuesday, 10 fresh swine flu infections were reported from the city. As many as 590 suspected cases were also reported.
Clarity on whether these people have contracted the influenza or not would be available only after the result of their tests is out.
The district administration has set up 203 screening centres of which 38 are operating in Pune, the city which has emerged as the epicenter of the current swine flu pandemic.
8 patients in critical condition
8 out of the ten cases reported positive yesterday, are said to be in critical condition. Five of these patients are on the ventilator at the government-run Sassoon hospital.
One of the patients who have not reacted well to Tamiflu, the second line drug has been given to them as a substitute of the drug.
B J Medical College dean Arun Jamkar said, "We do not know whether the patient has any underlying medical history that may have led to the reaction to the drug. Around 1.5 lakh people have been given Tamiflu and none of them have reported any reaction."
Sassoon hospital leading from the front
38 patients were admitted to the critical ICU at Sassoon due to the swine flu. Out of these 11 succumbed to the virus. The others were successfully treated and discharged.
The mortality rate was higher for patients who had to be put on the ventilator.
The virus sniffed life out of 58 percent i.e. 11 of these 19 patients. Overall, more than 50 percent of the patients admitted to the critical ICU were discharged.
Dr. Jamkar said, “Sassoon has so far treated 140 patients and 72 of them were discharged after treatment. Some of the recovered patients were on ventilators for many days and their recovery is noteworthy,” he added.
State Health Department Spokesman Dr. A Laddha revealed that since the outbreak of the Influenza A(H1N1) in April, close to two lakh people have been examined for swine flu symptoms.
As a precautionary measure the district administration has directed all the educational establishments in the city of Pune to remain closed till August 23 as a precautionary measure.
