A 21-year-old man from Santa Cruz (East) and a 50-year-old woman from Dahisar died of the virus on August 22 and 23.
With nearly two deaths on almost a daily basis for the past week, swine flu has emerged as a deadly virus in the city. With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) health department confirming the death of two more patients on Monday, the toll has risen to 42 since January this year.
A 21-year-old man from Santa Cruz (East) and a 50-year-old woman from Dahisar died of the virus on August 22 and 23. The 21-year-old was a known case of epilepsy and mental retardation. He was admitted to BMC-run Kasturba Hospital on August 19 and put on Oseltamivir on the same day. The patient suffered from acute kidney failure after getting breathless. The
50-year-old woman, who was earlier admitted to Riddhi Vinayak Hospital in Malad, was later shifted to BMC-run Nair Hospital on August 21. She succumbed on August 22. She was put on Oseltamivir on August 20. The deceased woman suffered from co-morbidities like diabetes, high blood pressure and ischemic heart disease.
The H1N1 virus attacks the lungs and deteriorates the inner respiratory mucosa lining. "The function of the mucosa is to absorb oxygen and release it in the blood. Since the lungs deteriorate, patients feel breathless," said Dr Pradip Shah, physician at Fortis Hospital in Mulund.
"We are testing whosoever comes with high fever, sore throat and running nose for swine flu. The throat swab tests detect the presence or absence of the virus within 24 hours. Suspected patients are preemptively put on Tamiflu medication," said Dr Shah.
Of 42 deaths in Mumbai since January, 15 have occurred in August alone.
"In the last week, one or two persons have died of swine flu every day. The virus has become endemic in the city. It is no longer season specific. We are recommending that pregnant women should get vaccinated against the virus. Up to 153 pregnant women have been vaccinated till date," said Dr Mini Khetarpal, epidemiologist, BMC.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Swine")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}