The death of a 21-year-old pregnant woman from East Godavari district due to swine flu last week has once again put the district health authorities on tenterhooks.
This was the second case in a year after the death of another woman due to the disease in March. Incidentally, the first swine flu death was in Visakhapatnam district.
Influenza A (H1N1) virus has reportedly claimed the lives of six people in Visakhapatnam where one case belongs to Visakhapatnam district, while the remaining belong to Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, East and West Godavari districts.
Being the only major city with quality medical facilities in north Coastal Andhra districts, and also in both the Godavari districts, patients with swine flu symptoms are being referred to Visakhapatnam by the doctors in neighbouring districts.
More than six suspected cases were referred to the Chest Hospital in the last week. Among them, two were from Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram and one each from Srikakulam and East Godavari districts. However, all cases, except the one from East Godavari district, were tested negative.
With a climate that is much favourable for spread of Influenza A (H1N1), people of Visakhapatnam are facing a severe threat of swine flu in the district.
Doctors say low temperatures are conducive for the virus to thrive and have advised that people immediately get in touch with medical practitioners in case symptoms of severe respiratory illnesses persist.
However, the officials have a different story to tell. District coordinator (swine flu) Dr Devi said that only six cases of swine flu were reported in Visakhapatnam district since January this year. “Most of the cases reported in Visakhapatnam city were from neighbouring districts. People need not panic about its spread, as we are taking all necessary precautions to prevent its spread,” she said.
Recently, tribal welfare minister P Balaraju directed the district administration to set up a nodal agency to deal with the spread of swine flu during a meeting with the higher authorities.
The officials were asked to dedicate 20 beds in the Chest Hospital and eight beds in the KGH for treating patients suffering from swine flu. The private hospitals were also asked to report about patients showing symptoms of the disease.