51-yr-old H1N1 patient in critical state in Pune
Hospital dean Dr Vivek Saoji confirmed that a H1N1 patient was shifted to the hospital from a smaller private nursing home where he had been undergoing treatment for a few days.
After a lull of many months, swine flu infection has reared its head again. A 51-year-old rickshaw puller residing in Katraj was tested positive for the infection and is currently in a critical condition at Bharati Hospital and Medical College.
Hospital dean Dr Vivek Saoji confirmed that a H1N1 patient was shifted to the hospital from a smaller private nursing home where he had been undergoing treatment for a few days.
“He was shifted here on March 6 after he tested positive for H1N1 infection. He is on ventilator support and is in critical condition,” said Saoji.
However, he added that an isolated case of the infection should not spread panic as stray cases do keep getting reported, though not of such severity after pandemic subsided.
Meanwhile, the officials of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) health department have swung into action after the case got reported.
PMC health officer ST Pardeshi said that the patient’s contact tracing is being done to ascertain the spread of infection, besides noting down the history of the patient.
“There is no history of travel and that’s why we have informed all public and private hospitals to be alert for any people showing symptoms like swine flu. They have been told not to ignore cough and cold cases and if suspected, patients should be referred to Naidu hospital that treats infectious diseases,” said Pardeshi.
He added that a serious case of H1N1 had been reported after months and had come at a time when respiratory infections were being increasingly reported.
“While this is no reason to create a scare, it certainly calls for heightened alertness, especially amongst doctors,” he said.