Two succumb to H1N1 in Orissa
POSTED August 3, 2010 - 16:08 | POSTED BY Neharika Sabharwal
Last edited by Silky Chandvani on August 3, 2010 - 17:19
Swine flu claimed its first victims in Orissa this year with two persons falling prey to the lethal disease in the capital city of Bhubaneswar on Monday.
The first casualty reported was a 56-year-old woman from the Sailashree Vihar locality in Bhubaneswar.
After hospitalization on July 29 to Apollo Hospital with severe shortness of breath, chest pain, and high fever, she was kept on a ventilator.
Her throat swab and blood samples were sent for testing to the Regional Medical Research Centre on July 30 which tested positive.
The second fatality was Lalit Patnaik, a 50-year-old patient from the Tamando village near Bhubaneswar. He too exhibited signs of fever and severe lung congestion on admission to the Aditya Care Hospital on July 25.
Patnaik also tested positive for the viral and met his tragic end last night following complications due to pneumonia.
New cases detected in the state
Meanwhile, Bikash Patnaik, joint director in the state health directorate disclosed that four more had tested positive for the influenza in the last fortnight.
Of the fresh cases, three have been discharged after treatment while the fourth is still under medical intervention in a private hospital in Bhubaneswar but is stated to be out of danger.
Health Minister allays fears
Dispelling the fear and panic engulfing the people over the recent deaths, the Orissa health minister Prasanna Acharya assured the public that there is no cause of worry over H1N1, as the state is well equipped to tide over any such crisis.
He stated that isolation wards are being geared up in all district headquarters hospitals, while a control room was functioning at the Directorate of Health Services.
In addition, guidelines laid down by the central government for dealing with virus had been circulated to all chief district medical officers, chief medical officers of major hospitals and government medical colleges.
All the 30 districts had an adequate stock of Tamiflu tablets and sufficient masks to combat any predicament.
Facilities for collection of samples were available at Capital Hospital, hospitals at Baripada and Koraput, IGH at Rourkela and some private hospitals, while testing of throat swab could be carried out at Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) in Bhubaneswar.
Also, supply of vaccine for doctors, nurses, pharmacists and support staff was in plentiful.
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