Swine flu is fast spreading its tentacles in the State with the death toll reaching seven in the State on Friday as two more deaths were reported from the SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack and the VIMSAR in Sambalpur and a third one from another hospital.
A resident of Jagatsinghpur district late on Thursday night succumbed to the dreaded disease in the SCB Hospital. To make matters worse, a junior doctor of the hospital was found H1N1positive after his swab samples were tested. This has spread panic among the doctors and staffs and the authorities are planning vaccinate all the doctors, staffs and even security personnel.
The VIMSAR also reported the first swine flu death late on Thursday night. The deceased was identified as Jalandhar Meher of Bhattli of Bargarh district, informed hospital sources.
“He had been referred to VIMSAR from Bargarh District Headquarters Hospital in a critical condition. But all efforts to save him failed due to his critical condition,” said VIMSAR swine flu treatment Nodal Officer Sudarshan Pothal. This is the first case of swine flu death in VIMSAR, Dr Pothal added.
“Keeping in view the threat of the dreaded disease, a completely isolated ward of 10 beds and with all modern equipments has been opened in the hospital and the doctors are very careful in the treatment of the patients,” said VIMSAR Superintendent Dr Braja Mohan Mishra.
“A meeting was convened today with doctors from all departments like medicine, paediatrics, and all others. There were asked to cooperate with swine flu treatment Nodal Officer Dr Pothal as and when required,” Mishra informed.He further said that the required medicine for the disease has been procured and every patient would be provided medicines free of cost. At present two suspected patients are undergoing treatment in the ward.
The ICU and ventilator have been kept ready for serious patients and there is no problem here for treatment of the patients. A team with a nodal officer is ready to work with all sincerity, Dr Mishra added.