The district health department of Gurugram on Wednesday said that none of the close contacts of the minor boy, who had tested positive for avian flu and died earlier this month, was found to have symptoms of the disease.
Civil Surgeon Virender Yadav said the health department had examined the close contacts of the 11-year-old, a resident of Chakkarpur village, but none had the symptoms of avian flu.
The 11-year-old, suffering from blood cancer, had died at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi on July 11.
A report six days later confirmed that he suffered from avian flu. “We have been carrying out survey for the past four days in the village and the close contacts of the deceased have also been examined. None of them are found to have the avian flu symptoms. Also, no new such cases were reported in the district,” said Dr. Yadav.
He added that the Animal Husbandry department too had carried out a survey among birds, but no case of avian flu was detected.
“The survey will continue to cover the entire village. The Primary Healthcare Centres have also been alerted to report any case with symptoms of avian flu,” said Dr. Yadav.
Death certificate
He, however, said the AIIMS was yet to issue death certificate to the deceased’s family citing the cause of death.
“The boy had tested positive for avian flu, but the cause of death would be established only after a death certificate is issued. The death could have been caused due to fungal pneumonia as well. If death due to avian flu is confirmed, it would be country’s first such case,” said Dr. Yadav.
