Swine flu claims its fifth victim in Pune

Swine flu claimed its fifth victim in the last six days following the death of a 60-year-old man in a Pune hospital, civic health officials said on Tuesday.

The victim, one Balasaheb Paigude, who died last night, was being treated in the isolation ward of the hospital for the last three days after being tested positive for H1N1 virus which has claimed fatalities in the city after a year's gap.

Two more patients are reported to be in a serious condition needing ventilator support.

A 48-year-old woman had succumbed to the virus on March 14 in the first fatal case of the virus in the city since April 2011. About 40 persons were being treated for the infection currently after an apparent revival of the virus due to climate fluctuations and extended winter, officials said.

"The virus and its transmission rate can subside once the summer temperatures go up," an official said adding that surveillance measures and scanning for suspected cases has been stepped up by the authorities.