Class XII Girl from Tiruchy Tests Positive for H1N1

TIRUCHY: Barely three-days after a woman died of swine flu, the city witnessed one more H1N1 case on Thursday when a 16-year-old girl was rushed to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) with fever.

Sources said the girl, a class twelve student, contracted fever four days ago and received treatment in a private hospital as out-patient.

As her health condition went from bad to worse and a blood test confirmed she was down with H1N1, the hospital referred her to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, where her health condition is said to be stable.

Meanwhile, health officials started source reduction and distributed Tamiflu to her family members.

Health department sources said the girl, residing in Crawford, was running high temperature four days ago prompting her parents to visit a doctor in a private hospital.

Sources added that she did not respond to treatment leading to suspicion about any dreadful fever. Sensing something amiss, the doctor took a blood sample and sent it to a government authorised lab and she tested positive for H1N1 and he referred to MGMGH on Wednesday night.

Dr M K Muralitharan, dean, MGMGH, said, “We have a separate ward for H1N1 cases and the girl was admitted there. The condition of the girl is stable and a team of doctors is monitoring closely,” he said.

In fact, this is 21st H1N1 case in the district. City Health Officer, Dr Geetharani said effective containment measures are in place.

“We have provided tamiflu to the family members and persons, who are in close contact with patients,” she said, adding that they are also closely monitoring the patient admitted in Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital.