A 45-year old man from Radha Nagar, Chromepet, Chennai who tested positive for A(H1N1), died of complications at the government General Hospital here on late Friday night. This takes the A(H1N1) toll to 3 in the State.
The deceased was admitted to the GH with breathlessness and bleeding piles to the surgical ward. He required surgery for that problem, but had many other co-morbidities including bronchial asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and had a history of pulmonary TB. This rendered him at high risk for A(H1N1) flu, Director of Medical Education S.Vinayagam told media persons on Saturday.
He was diagnosed with Grade 3 hemorrhoids and anemia. His breathlessness worsened and was transferred from the surgical unit to the medical unit on August14. With no improvement in his respiratory distress, doctors treating him decided to test for A(H1N1). The test turned out positive and he was shifted to the isolation ward 226 in the GH on August 19, the hospital's Dean J.Mohanasundaram said. Treatment with Tamiflu was started immediately.
Despite this, his condition deteriorated and he died at 8-25 p.m. on Friday.
Doctors remarked that the patient had no history of travel to an A(H1N1) infected area or any contact with persons who had the virus.
The body has been handed over to the relatives with instructions for proper burial/cremation.
Screening has been organised in the areas in and around Radha Nagar by public health authorities.
