After a lull, cases of swine flu in Hyderabad seem to be on the rise with health officials confirming on Wednesday that three persons had died due to complications arising out of swine flu in Hyderabad. Of the three, one male (35) and one female (25), died at the State-run Gandhi Hospital and another male patient died in an ambulance while being shifted to a hospital in Hyderabad from Siddipet.
Currently, four more patients, two in Gandhi Hospital and two in corporate hospitals in Hyderabad, have been admitted with suspected swine flu symptoms and are undergoing treatment. Health officials have maintained that the last 10 days have seen a spurt in cases of swine flu here. All patients getting admitted with swine flu symptoms are from Hyderabad, indicating that the virus is endemic and has not been imported.
Virus virulent?“We have to see whether the swine flu virus has become virulent or there is some kind of resistance to drugs. There is also need to find out whether low immunity among the patients is a reason for deaths,” Narasimhulu, in-charge of swine flu wards, Gandhi Hospital said.
Low temperatures and sporadic showers in and around the capital too may have played a role in the sudden rise in cases of swine flue, doctors said. “There is definitely no need to panic but at the same time the public needs to be cautious, especially while moving in public areas. Personal hygiene continues to remain the best way to avoid infections,” advises district medical officer P. Venkateswar Rao.
Between January and October, district health authorities had reported 17 positive swine flu cases and two deaths in Hyderabad, which occurred in July this year after which the swine flue cases tapered off before they started to rise again. In the last few days, Gandhi Hospital had received eight cases out of which there were two deaths.
