HYDERABAD: The swine flu scare is increasing by the day in the State. As many as 10 new cases of H1N1 virus were detected on Tuesday alone. Among them are four members of a family from Mahbubnagar district.
Mahbubnagar health officials said the four had contracted the dreaded virus from a 35-year-old man, also from the same family, who tested positive for it on December 26. Among the four are the man’s mother, daughter, brother-in-law and another relative.
What seems to have spread the infection was the 35-year-old man’s panicky reaction. The officials confirmed that he had fled from the Mahbubnagar district hospital on Monday. Though he was brought back to the hospital, it appears that he had infected his relatives.
“The patient has a travel history. He complained of fever and cold after returning from Tirupati and tested positive for swine flu four days back. Four of his family members have been kept in the isolation ward,” said an official, adding that the family members are asymptomatic and given medication for the flu.
Two others from Hyderabad, a 52-year-old man from Kukatpally and a woman, also tested positive for the virus on Tuesday. While the former was admitted to the Gandhi hospital, the latter was shifted to the Osmania hospital. Besides the duo, a 37-year-old from the city also tested positive for swine flu. Apart from these patients, four others from Ranga Reddy district were also found to be suffering from swine flu.