Swine flu has taken its toll on two more lives in Dehradun. Death of one aged woman has occurred in the Himalayan hospital Jollygrant while another person succumbed to the disease at Mahant Indiresh Hospital. The disease has so far taken six lives in the city this year.
An eighty two year old woman, a resident of Rishikesh had died in the Himalayan hospital on Monday night. The report of the sample which was sent to the National Centre of Disease Control (NCDC) has also proved positive. Similarly one 84 year old person, a resident of Yamuna colony admitted in Mahant Indiresh hospital died on Monday morning.
The Nodal office of swine flu Dr Puneet Chandra accepted that samples of both patients have proved positive for the disease. However he added that both the patients had Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). He said that samples of 64 patients suspected to be suffering from the disease have been sent to NCDC for testing and 19 patients so have been found positive for the disease. Dr Chandra said that the department has sufficient stock of Tami flu which is the medicine for swine flu. He said that all the hospitals have been asked to set up isolation wards for treatment and stay of swine flu patients. However the occurrence of disease at this point of time is intriguing experts.
The swine flu usually hits the population in the winter season but the occurrence of the disease in summer season is suggestive of some changes in the genetic structure of the virus.
Swine flu is a viral disease, its virus is also called H1 N1 and its genetic analysis has shown that it has originated from the animals specially pigs hence it is called Swine flu. The virus spreads from person to person similar to that of seasonal influenza.