A teenager suffering from swine flu has died at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here, taking the toll in the city to four. A total of 154 cases of swine flu have been reported so far this year.
The 15-year-old girl, a resident of Patel Nagar, was admitted to the hospital on February 3. She died on Monday evening due to multiple organ failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Five swine flu patients are under treatment at the hospital.
Meanwhile, Delhi Health Minister A.K. Walia said the government was monitoring the situation closely and keeping a watch on the preparedness of hospitals in terms of availability of beds, and medicines and management of diagnostic facilities to exercise effective and timely control over the management and treatment of the disease. The Minister expressed hope that the number of swine flu cases will come down with increase in temperature and lowering of humidity.
Dr. Walia was reviewing the situation at a high-level meeting attended by Central Government Director (Emergency Medical Relief)P. Ravindran and several senior officials.
During the meeting, Dr. Ravindran said there was no need for vaccination against H1N1 in the present situation and no prophylactic treatment required in most cases.
He added that no hospitalisation was required for category “A” patients having mild fever with cough, sore throat with or without body ache and headache. Hospitalisation was necessary only in case of patients with high grade fever, severe sore throat, breathlessness and acute lung infection falling under category “B”. Patients falling under category “C” required immediate diagnostic treatment and hospitalisation. Patients with clinical and radiological signs of lower respiratory tract disease, bloody sputum and bloody stool fall under this category.
Dr. Walia advised citizens to maintain high standard of personal hygiene to prevent the disease. He advised that mouth should be covered while sneezing and coughing, and that hands should be washed properly.
