The recent death of a HAl employee, Biswambar Dalabehera, due to swine flu has triggered a state of fear among HAl employees and locals of Sunabeda. Sources said many of Biswambar’s neighbours and colleagues are now consulting doctors even with symptoms of slight fevers and coughs. Meanwhile, the District Health department called an emergency meeting to discuss swine flu situation on Friday. ADMO Dr Arun Kumar Panda also visited the HAl premises and advised the employees to take preventive measures and not to fear. HAl Medical Officer Dr BB Dash and other senior officers were present.
Meanwhile, swab samples of some of Biswambar’s relatives, nighbours and colleagues have been sent for test. The department is now making an investigation on how and from where Biswambar carried swine flu virus. Meanwhile, swine flu medicines have been brought from the Raygada District Headquarters Hospital and sent to the Sunabeda hospital.
Biswambar, who was working at the RR Sop of the HAl, had earlier undergone treatment for a heart attack. But on February 3 he was admitted in the HAl Hopital as he felt uneasy again. As doctors said it was a case of heart attack, he was shifted to a private hospital at Visakhapatnam where his health condition still remained grim. From there, he was shifted to Bhubaneswar where doctors suspected him as a swine flu patient and consequently his swab was tested and found swine flu positive. Biswambar died during treatment.