44 cases of swine flu in Gujarat

Two probable cases of death from swine flu were reported from Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad, each, on Tuesday. The state health department is yet to confirm the cause of the deaths.

The health department said that Gujarat has so far recorded 44 cases of swine flu in September. Four cases have been recorded in Ahmedabad city so far. The three major cities of the state — Ahmedabad, Surat, and Vadodara — continue to remain a concern for the department, as these have recorded the maximum number of cases.

"On an average, the state is witnessing four to five cases of swine flu. We have not recorded any death due to it yet. We were expecting a surge after cases started being reported from Maharashtra and Rajasthan," said Dr Dinkar Raval, Deputy Director (infection specialist), health department.

On Tuesday, a 2-year-old girl allegedly succumbed died of swine flu. The girl, a native of Aravalli, was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Ahmedabad. A case of death was also reported from Gandhinagar.

Explaining why there is a discrepancy in the swine flu figures shared by the but the state and the media, Dr Raval said that the Centre has mandated the cause of death for all communicable diseases to be reviewed by an expert committee.

"The expert committee examines the case before any conclusion is drawn. This is because many a times what is termed as 'swine flu' death could be because of other flu," said Dr Raval.

He said the review helps the state decide if there was a gap in providing diagnosis or treatment. The committee also includes public health experts.