A 45-year-old lorry driver reportedly died of H1N1 influenza here on Wednesday.
Swaminathan was admitted to a private hospital in the city with high fever, sore throat and breathing difficulty a few days ago. He was given Tamiflu tablets after he had tested positive for the H1N1 virus. However, he did not respond to the treatment and died. Swab test results confirmed that he had swine flu, sources said. Tension prevailed at the hospital for a few hours after the health authorities asked Swaminathan’s relatives to take his body directly to the crematorium as a precaution to prevent spreading of virus. They were initially reluctant but after requests from neighbours, they agreed.
Raveendran, Deputy Director of Health, Tiruchi, told The Hindu that the victim was down with high fever on his way to Tiruchi. All of his family members, doctors and paramedical staff members who treated him, were given Tamiflu tablets as a precaution. This is the third death due to H1N1 influenza in Tiruchi over the last two weeks. Of them one was a woman from Ariyalur district.
Woman goes missing
Meanwhile, a woman of Thittakudi in Cuddalore district, who was tested positive for swine flu, went missing from the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, where she was admitted with breathing difficulty on Tuesday. She reportedly absconded after she came to know that she had tested positive for swine flu. Information has been passed on to the Deputy Director of Health, Cuddalore, to find her whereabouts with the help of her relatives, hospital sources said.
This is the third death due to H1N1 influenza in Tiruchi over the last two weeks
