The onset of monsoon is showing signs of having a multiplying effect on the number of swine flu cases in twin cities and elsewhere in the State. On Thursday, another 28-year-old woman Vani, resident of Mahabubnagar, died at Gandhi Hospital, thus taking the death toll due to swine flu to three this month.
Health officials are anxious over the spurt of swine flu cases in districts, especially at Mahabubnagar and Visakhapatnam. Already, of the three deaths, two women were from Mahabubnagar district. Since January, according to health officials, 15 positive swine flu cases have been reported. Despite a relative jump in the cases, authorities maintain that spread of the ailment could be contained if proper precautions are taken by general public.
On Thursday, authorities collected 17 smear samples from persons having swine flu like symptoms for testing at Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM). Of the 17, officials said that 14 samples belonged to the close relatives of Vani while one each to persons hailing from Visakhapatnam, Mahabubnagar and twin cities. One of the samples also tested positive. As a preventive measure, Tamiflu tablets were distributed among the 14 close contacts.
The 28-year-old woman was admitted to Yashoda Hospital in Malakpet on Wednesday morning and on the same day she was shifted to Gandhi Hospital. Doctors informed that Vani was brought to the hospital at an ‘advanced stage' and her lungs were completely infected. Vani, who is survived by two daughters, recently came back to Mahabubnagar after staying for a while at her native village in Anantapur district.
