Three more die of swine flu taking Telangana toll to 11

Telangana is witnessing a spurt in the number of swine flu cases for the past one week. 
Doctors say Tamiflu can be given to only those who test positive for swine flu
Doctors say Tamiflu can be given to only those who test positive for swine flu

HYDERABAD: Telangana is witnessing a spurt in the number of swine flu cases for the past one week.  Three more deaths were reported in the State taking the number of flu deaths to 11 so far this year. On Monday, a 32-year-old woman from Zamisthanpur, Musheerabad, suffering from swine flu died.

She was admitted to Gandhi Hospital a week ago after she showed symptoms of the flu.  Another 54-year-old man, who was admitted to Osmania General Hospital, also died on Monday. He left the hospital against medical advice. In another case, a patient admitted at the hospital died on Saturday, which was reported only on Monday. While one more person suspected to have contracted the flu, too died on Monday.  

Earlier, if a swine flu patient who also had co-morbid conditions like diabetes died, the death was not categorised as swine flu death. However, joint director of Epidemics Cell, Dr A Sukrutha Reddy said that they were instructed that regardless of co-morbid condition, if a swine flu positive patient dies, it will be categorised as swine flu death. With this, a total of 11 deaths were reported in the State from January 1 to October 15,  five deaths only in October.

Video conference held on Zika  

The State health department officials were asked to intensify surveillance of vector-borne diseases and take steps to check mosquitoes. In the wake of 60 Zika cases in Rajasthan, additional secretary from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare held a video conference on Monday to discuss the preparedness and surveillance of Zika disease.

WHO’s fact sheet on Zika states that symptoms are generally mild which include fever, rash, conjuctivitis, muscle and joint pains, headache, which lasts for two to seven days. Officials who attended the meeting said that though there have been no Zika suspected cases in the State, anti-larvae operations to control mosquito population are being held which helps to keep away the disease.

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