The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Couple quarantined in CDH

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Tuesday, Jun 23, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Couple quarantined in CDH

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: A couple has been quarantined in the Communicable Diseases Hospital, Tondiarpet, here after one of them tested positive for swine flu.

According to Chennai Corporation Health Officer P. Kuganantham, the couple, hailing from the city and working as software engineers in North Carolina, U.S., had not shown any symptoms when they landed at the airport here on June 13.

However, five days later, the 25-year-old woman, who is pregnant, developed slight symptoms of cough and fever. On Thursday, the couple’s blood samples were collected and sent to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi.

On Saturday night, the Institute confirmed that the woman had contracted A(H1N1) virus that causes swine flu.

The couple is being administered Tamiflu. They are stable, said Dr. Kuganantham. “They will be discharged after five days of treatment. The pregnant woman was examined by an obstetrician for safety of the foetus,” he added.

The Department of Public Health and the civic body have notified the civil aviation authorities to get the list of passengers who travelled with the couple on the aircraft.

So far the Health Department has quarantined 13 persons at the hospital. A total of 61 passengers were being monitored on a daily basis at their homes.

The Health Department is also conducting epidemiological investigation for those who are on home isolation. The virus incubates for a week before the symptoms manifest, Dr. Kuganantham said.

Medical teams will continue to track passengers arriving at the airport and the harbour.

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