The victim, a 71-year-old resident of Khadki,died at Jehangir Hospital on Tuesday.
With one more swine flu patient’s death on Tuesday, the viral infection has now claimed seven deaths in the city this year. Three of these deaths have been reported from Pune Municipal Corporation area and four from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation jurisdiction.
The latest victim is a 71-year-old man, a resident of Montvert Pristine in Khadki. He suffered from septic shock and acute respiratory distress syndrome with multi-organ failure with H1N1 positive status in Jehangir Hospital.The swine flu cases as well as deaths have increased in other parts of the country like New Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, etc. over the past two months.
Senior health officials in Maharashtra said that while nine people have fallen prey to the viral disease in the state, the number of infected people is nearly 80 so far this year.
Meanwhile, two of the patients admitted to the city hospitals due to the disease are in a critical condition. So far, 62 people have tested positive for H1N1 in the city this year.
Health officials say that there is no need to panic despite the rise in the number of cases. “The H1N1 cases currently being reported are little more than the number of cases during this time last year. However, there is no need to panic since the behaviour of the virus is not following a fixed pattern and has been erratic,” said Dr Pradeep Awate, state surveillance officer.
He added, “It was widely believed that during summers, due to the rise in temperature, the number of cases come down since the climate is not favourable for viral activity. However, in March, 2012, we saw a sharp rise in the number of H1N1 cases. Hence, while people need to be alert due to rise in H1N1 cases, there is no need to panic.”
On August 10, 2010, WHO director-general Margaret Chan had announced that the H1N1 influenza virus had moved into the post-pandemic period. However, localised outbreaks of various magnitudes were likely to continue, she had said.
Even scientists from the National Institute of Virology (NIV) said that behavioural pattern of influenza viruses is unpredictable. “However, there is no significant mutation in genetic make-up of virus and it is still susceptible to Tamiflu. Hence, cases of H1N1 being reported should not be a cause for worry,” said a scientist.
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