Swine flu death toll mounts in India’s Telangana state

Hyderabad: Swine flue continues to wreak havoc in Telangana, with the death toll rising to 32 after the virus claiming eight more lives.

Two patients died at Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad on Thursday. One of them was a woman from Nizamabad and the other was a youth from Madhapur area of Hyderabad.

Two others died at different hospitals in Hyderabad on Wednesday while four others who had died last week were also confirmed as cases of swine flu as the their swabs tested positive.

In another alarming indication that the virus was still spreading, as many as 12 junior doctors of Osmania General Hospital were also showing symptoms of swine flu.

According to the hospital sources authorities have asked all of them to stay at home and get the medical treatment. Earlier, three doctors from the same hospital were found affected by the virus.

Hospital officials said that the doctors were granted five days leave for undergoing treatment and taking rest.

Dr Narendarnath, director Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad said that of the 57 cases tested on Wednesday, 22 were found positive and they were being treated at different hospitals in Hyderabad including Gandhi and Osmania. Separate wards were provided for the swine flu cases in the state capital. While 12 patients were under treatment at Osmania, another 43 cases including ten children were being treated at Gandhi hospital. However it was not clear how many suspected cases of swine flu were admitted in private hospitals.

Concerned over the continued spread of the virus, Telangana health minister Lakshma Reddy visited Osmania Hospital on Thursday. Apart from talking to the swine flu patients, the minister also inquired about the condition of junior doctors suffering from the symptoms of the flu.

Meanwhile, 24 people were also affected in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. The state health minister K. Srinvas said that most of the cases were reported from Visakhpatanam and Anantapur districts. He said that a central team was preparing to visit Andhra Pradesh to assess the situation.