TIRUCHY: Swine flu has again showed up in the city after nearly a year as a 51-year-old woman died of H1N1 viral infection despite treatment in a private hospital, on Thursday. According to sources,
K Umayavalli, a resident of Karumandapam, was admitted to a private hospital in Tiruchy after her health started suddenly deteriorating. As there was no improvement in her condition, medical tests were conducted. The test reports revealed she was affected by the H1N1 virus. Later, she was taken to another private hospital for further treatment. However, she succumbed to the infection.
The Health department is now on high alert and has launched a drive to scrub the entire area of Karumandapam. “As she died of swine flu, we have requested her relatives to directly take her body for the funeral without placing it at the house for homage. This is to prevent the virus from spreading,” said health officials.
Speaking to Express, Dr S Samsath Begum, Joint Director of Health Services (JDHS), Tiruchy, said, “Field inspections have been done in the area where her house is located to find the source of the virus. Special measures would be taken to prevent any major outbreak in the district if any trace of a virus source is found in that particular area.”
Dr G Anitha, Dean, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, Tiruchy, stated climatic conditions like high humidity and moisture would favour the spread of the H1N1 virus. She said children and the elderly were more prone to the disease.
She added if the viral infection is diagnosed at an early stage, it could be cured with proper treatment. “Since belated treatment may result in the patient to have pneumonia-related problems, this could worsen the medical condition,” she said.
It is to be noted that as many as 220 patients were admitted to Tiruchy Government Hospital with H1N1 infection from 13 January to 18 March, 2017 in the district. Of the patients, 17 passed away and the rest discharged. Since then, there had been no H1N1 case until the death of Umayavalli.
Primary symptoms of H1N1 (Swine Flu)