First swine flu death in Nashik

A 38-year-old doctor died of swine flu at the Nashik civil hospital this morning, taking the total number of people killed by the virus countrywide to 15.

The deceased Dr Rupesh Gangurde was admitted to a private hospital on Monday after he complained of vomitting and fever, hospital sources said.

His blood samples were sent to Pune for testing after which the report tested positive for H1N1, they said. Gangurde was brought to the Nashik Civil hospital last night where he died at 0230 hours, they said.

Two more suspected swine flu patients -- Vinod Borkul (21) and Rishikesh Kulkarni (26) -- have been admitted to the Nashik Civil hospital. While Borkul tested negative for the viral infection, Kulkarni's report is still awaited.

The doctor is the first victim of swine flu in Nashik. In Pune, total number of deaths due to the disease has risen to seven whereas in Gujarat it has claimed two lives, one each in Vadodara and Ahmedabad.

A 63-year-old woman from Mumbra in neighbouring Thane district died of H1N1 yesterday. On August 8, Fahmida Paanwala (53) became the first swine flu casualty in Mumbai. Two others, including a four-year-old boy, succumbed to the disease in Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram.