NAGERCOIL
Three persons from Kanniyakumari district, who had been admitted to different hospitals with suspected symptoms of swine flu, died in 24 hours since Sunday night.
However, officials of the Department of Public Health confirmed swine flu as the cause of death of only one patient. “In the other two cases, we are yet to get diagnosis reports,” they said.
Since the district is witnessing dengue and swine flu outbreak, an isolation ward has been created at Kanniyakumari Government Medical College Hospital at Asaripallam, where 12 patients are undergoing treatment now. Several people from the district, who have symptoms of swine flu and dengue, are undergoing treatment at different private hospitals in the district and in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.
The three persons who died since Sunday night were J. Esther, 46, of Kandanvilai near Eraniel, Rathnabai, 45, of Palapalli near Thuckalay and Shanmugavel, 65, of Anjugramam.
After she developed high fever with suspected symptoms of swine flu, Esther was admitted to a private hospital. As she did not respond to treatment, she was shifted to a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram where she breathed her last on Sunday night.
Rathnabai, a cashew factory worker, who had been under treatment at Kanniyakumari Government Medical College Hospital, died of swine flu on Monday morning.
Shanmugavel, an ex-serviceman, who had been admitted to a private hospital in Anjugramam for treatment of “mysterious fever”, died on Monday evening. His family members said he died of suspected swine flu.
