The Maharashtra government has decided to shut schools and multiplexes in Mumbai as the state saw five more swine flu deaths, taking the national toll to 17.
The Maharashtra government has decided to shut schools and multiplexes in Mumbai as the state saw five more swine flu deaths on Wednesday, taking the national toll to 17. Four of the latest fatalities were reported from Pune, the epicentre of the outbreak, and one from Nashik.
Shravani Deshpande, 29, Neeta Meghani, 50, Balu Kulunj, 41, and Gautam Shelar, 48, died of the viral infection at the government-run Sassoon Hospital in Pune.
A nine-month-old boy, suspected to have contracted the virus, died at Sahyadri Munot Hospital in the city late on Wednesday. Doctors cited respiratory arrest as the cause of death.
In Nashik, Rupesh Gangurde, 28, succumbed to the infection at the civil hospital. Pune now accounts for 10 of the 13 confirmed H1N1 deaths in the state. The worried civic body there has authorised the mayor to implement the Mexican model, which includes stern measures like imposing curfew, to control the outbreak.
A majority of the 115 fresh cases on Wednesday also came from the state, with Pune reporting the highest 61, followed by Mumbai, 24. The count of confirmed cases across the country now stands at 1,193.
The state government has decided to close schools, junior colleges and coaching classes in Mumbai till August 20, said Sharvaree Gokhale, additional chief secretary, health ministry. Multiplexes have also been closed for three days, Gokhale said.
Degree colleges under Mumbai University, however, will not be closed. “The government has given instructions to close only schools and junior colleges. So, the university can’t issue a circular on the degree section,” said registrar K Venkatramani.
Gokhale said a central team has formally allowed treatment of symptomatic cases with Tamiflu.
“Deaths can be averted if patients are given timely treatment, which includes two tablets of Tamiflu a day,” he said.
However, the centre is still reluctant to allow the sale of Tamiflu in open market as it comes under “schedule-X restricts drugs”, Gokhale said.
Gokhale said 21 hospitals in Mumbai, which opted to screen and treat H1N1 patients, have agreed to modify their facilities.
The government also decided to create more screening centres across the state. To begin with, they have set up sample collection centres at some places in Pune, Satara, Nashik and Thane.
In Mumbai, throat swabs of 371 were collected for tests while 24 tested positive for H1N1 on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases in the city to 122.
Civic health officials, however, maintained that there was no need to panic as of the 3,803 who got themselves screened at various centres, only one person needed to be admitted to MT Agrawal Hospital, Mulund
Two critical patients on ventilator at Hiranandani Hospital, Powai, have shown marginal improvement, said CEO Dr Sujit Chatterjee.
On Wednesday, seven more people were discharged from the isolation ward of Kasturba Hospital. So far, 112 of 214 admitted to Kasturba have been discharged after recovery.
The BMC helpline has, however, not stopped ringing with 2,350 anxious Mumbaikars calling up in the last two days.
Time taken to test swabs proved fatal
The state government on Wednesday admitted that four swine flu deaths in Mumbai, Pune and Nashik point to how the 24-28 hours taken to test nasal and throat swabs are proving fatal. “A study has shown a rise in the number of H1N1 cases and rapid degeneration of patients’ health. This can be arrested if timely treatment is given without patients being subjected to tests,” said Sharvaree Gokhale, additional chief secretary, health ministry.
Shubhangi Khapre and Sumitra Deb Roy from Mumbai and Vineeta Panedy from New Delhi have contributed to the report.
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