The State Health Department on Wednesday admitted that so far 12 persons in the State had succumbed to H1N1 infection (swine flu).
The department is auditing the death of five other patients to find the cause of death.
As on Wednesday, 207 patients with the flu recovered completely. Of the 190 persons under quarantine, 40 are being monitored at home.
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To allegations that the government was fudging the number of cases, Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan said: “We are providing you the number of patients who have tested positive and the number of deaths. Why should we alter records,” he asked.
He said the five deaths were not due to H1N1. In one case, a person who had undergone surgery for cancer on February 21 tested positive for H1N1 three days post-surgery and succumbed on March 7.
Another patient who had asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease contracted the infection and died. Similarly, a patient in Madurai who suffered renal failure tested positive for the flu and died.
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Two other patients, including a woman, who tested positive died of cardio-genic shock, which the Director of Public Health K. Kolandaisamy said could not be classified as flu-related. A man who had been cured of the flu suddenly developed cardiac arrest and collapsed.
Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar and Dr. Radhakrishnan, who inspected the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation warehouse, said the State had 6.5 lakh doses of Osaltamivir tablets and 50,000 doses of vaccine, which would last six months.
Private hospitals treating flu patients had been provided with the mobile number of the Deputy or Joint Director of Health in their region to contact in case of emergency, Dr. Radhakrishnan said. Since the flu spread mostly through contact, health officials were making repeated appeals to people to adopt hand washing, as it was the most effective way to prevent infection.
Patients overcharged
Meanwhile, the government issued warning to two private institutions in the city for overcharging patients. “We received complaints from patients that two hospitals had charged more than Rs. 3,750 for the tests. We ensured that the excess money was returned to the patients. If they continue to flout rules, recognition for them will be withdrawn,” Dr. Radhakrishnan cautioned.