Four more suspected cases of swine flu in Coimbatore

Four more persons, including a lady doctor, suspected to be infected with swine flu, have been admitted to a government hospital here, even as officials made efforts to contact air passengers who travelled with the two confirmed flu patients on May 28.

The doctor, who is treating two confirmed flu patients at the hospital, has developed fever and throat pain on Tuesday evening. Her blood samples have been sent to the National Institute of Communicable diseases, Delhi, Dr Kumaran, Dean (incharge) of hospital told reporters here.

Meanwhile, three members of a family--husband, wife and daughter, who returned from Atlanta to Coimbatore on Wednesday morning also have been admitted for suspected flu symptoms, Kumaran said.

Blood samples of the three would be sent to Delhi on Wednesday, he said.

A 34-year-old woman and her five-year-old son, who had come from United States to Coimbatore on May 28, had tested positive for the H1N1 virus. They have been kept in a quarantine ward at the Coimbatore Government hospital.