BENGALURU: As temperature dropped in the city and its surroundings, cases of respiratory infection, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia and H1N1 cases were reported at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Disease (RGICD).
Last month, the institute reported 111 cases of respiratory infection, out of which 20 were serious with pneumonia. The institute subjected these 20 patients to sputum test and five of them were confirmed for H1N1.
“Among those with H1N1, three survived and two died. All these cases were referred by other hospitals and had come to the hospital in the last stage,” RGICD Director Dr Sashidhar Buggi said.
The virus becomes more active in the cold season and only through personnel hygiene one can recover fast or prevent infections, he said.
Health Minister U T Khader said district health officers have been alerted to track cases in all its hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres and refer patients to super-specialty hospitals.
“Officers have been directed to intensify information, education and communication to get better treatment and also prevent the condition from spreading as the diseases are contagious,” Khader said.