Over 20 down with swine flu in Maharashtra

PUNE: Swine flu has infected 29 people in Maharashtra - mainly in Pune, Nagpur and Nashik - in the last 22 days. Of them, six have succumbed to the contagion, three each in Pune and Nagpur.
The condition of two swine flu patients, meanwhile, is critical and they have been put on ventilator support at hospitals in Pune. Both are residents of Pimpri Chinchwad.On Thursday, a 55-year-old man, a resident of Tapkirnagar in Pimpri Chinchwad, was put on ventilator support .
A total of 29,790 people exhibiting influenza-like illness have so far been screened across the state. Of them, 646 people, who were suspected to have contracted the infection, were administered Tamiflu tablets .
"There were only three swine flu cases and no deaths due to it in January last year. But this year, the virus has already infected 29 people and claimed six lives in the last 22 days alone. That accounts for a high mortality rate of 22%," a senior state health official said.
Senior scientist Mandeep Chadha, head of influeza research group at National Institute of Virology (NIV), said, "We have received 54 samples for swine flu diagnosis this year from Pune, Nashik and Aurangabad. We did see some pandemic flu positivity in January 2013 which was absent in 2014."
The year's first death occurred at a private hospital in Pune on January 7. Dagadu Gulab Adhav, a 35-year-old resident rural Pune died of swine flu at Ruby Hall Clinic and the sixth death occurred in Nagpur when 41-year-old Shobha Sangtani, a resident of Gondia, died of swine flu at Krims hospital on January 17.
The state health department has sounded an alert across Maharashtra. The district health officers and civil surgeons have been asked to step up surveillance and take all preventive measures in view of many religious fairs that are held during this time of the year at villages across Maharashra. The department has also stressed on educating people preventive measures like frequent hand-washing and staying away from people showing flu-like symptoms.
"Health officials of Pune and Nagpur have been asked to keep all medical facilities ready to tackle the swine flu menace, which is likely to see a surge following a sharp drop in temperatures, providing conducive conditions for the propagation of all types of influenza viruses including the swine flu virus," said Kanchan Jagtap, joint director of state health department.
"Pune city reported two fresh cases of swine flu on Thursday, taking the city's swine flu cases to nine so far this year. Currently, five patients with swine flu are admitted at different hospitals in Pune. Of them, two patients are critical and put on ventilator support. Both are residents of Pimpri Chinchwad. One of the critical patients, a woman and her 28 year old daughter were found infected with swine flu. The mother is critical and the daughter is being treated at a regular ward," said S T Pardeshi, medical officer of health, PMC.
"We have told our officials to strengthen surveillance of patients exhibiting influenza-like illness in their areas and administer Tamiflu tablets on time to those who are suspected to have contracted the infection."
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Break up of swine flu cases and deaths in Maharashtra in 2015
District Cases Deaths
Pune 9 3
Nagpur 17 3
Nashik 3 0
Total 29 6
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The chronology of swine flu casualties in Maharashtra
* The year's first death occurred at a private hospital in Pune on January 7. A 35-year-old resident of rural parts of Pune died of swine flu at Ruby Hall Clinic on January 7. The man hailed from Indapur taluka
* Pune city also reported the second death due to swine flu in next two days when a 51-year-old woman resident of Pune city, succumbed to swine flu on January 7. The woman had underlying medical conditions like hypertension and diabetes
* The state's third swine flu death occurred in Nagpur when a 53-year-old resident of Madhya Pradesh died of swine flu at Krims hospital in Nagpur on January 14
* A 28-year-old resident of rural parts of Pune died of swine flu at KEM hospital in Pune city on January 16, becoming the fourth swine flu victim. The man hailed from Indapur taluka
* Fifty-seven-year old woman resident of rural parts of Nagpur, fell victim to swine flu at Wockhardt hospital in Nagpur on the same day (January 16)
* The sixth swine flu death occurred in Nagpur when 41 year old woman, a resident of Gondia, died of swine flu at Krims hospital in Nagpur on January 17
(Source: State health department, Pune)
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Precautionary measures
* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
* Trash the tissue after you use it
* Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand
sanitizers are also effective
* Wash your hands at regular intervals with disinfectants
* Keep surfaces like doorknobs, tables, etc clean
* Don't touch your mouth, nose, eyes after touching strangers and unknown surfaces
* Don't touch yourself or others after sneezing or coughing. First, wash your hands