Amidst concerns of swine flu virus mutations, a six-month child succumbed to the virus at the State-run Gandhi Hospital on Saturday.
Hospital authorities said the child had been admitted for a congenital heart problem at the hospital about four days ago and had also shown lung problems including pneumonia.
Subsequent swine flu testing had confirmed an infection. The boy was later shifted to the swine flu ward at the hospital where he died on Saturday morning.
“We are seeing that the virus is causing infection in children even in summer. This was not the case before. Samples are being sent to the National Institute of Virology to determine if the virus has mutated,” hospital superintendent Shravan Kumar said.The hospital has 13 cases of infection, all in children, in its swine flu ward. Five of these cases had been referred by other hospitals on Friday night.
Children infected
Four of the five referrals were from Niloufer Hospital. A paediatrician at Niloufer Hospital too expressed concern.
“We cannot treat positive cases at Niloufer as it lacks a well-equipped swine flu ward. Once we receive positive confirmation of swine flu, we shift the child to Gandhi Hospital,” the doctor said.
