Two people test positive for swine flu in Mumbai

Mumbai: The dreaded H1N1 virus that has claimed many lives over the past two years, has reared its ugly head once again in Mumbai.

Yesterday, two people in Mumbai tested positive for the virus. After throat swabs were sent to Haffkine institute, pathological tests conducted on the samples diagnosed that the swine flu virus had infected a 37-year-old woman from Chandivli and a three-year-old girl.

The two diagnoses follow close on the heels of similar cases in Pune and Nashik. Alarmed by the re-emergence of the disease, the state health department had a closed-door meeting with experts last morning at the Mantralaya to think of measures that can safeguard the city from another pandemic.

The state health department had issued detailed precautionary guidelines to be adopted when the outbreak of the disease assumed the pandemic proportions two years back.

The state had even roped in private hospitals, which had prepared special quarantine wards for those afflicted with the disease.

Dr Abhay Chaudhary, director of Haffkine institute, said, "We have received samples from two city hospitals.

Tests were conducted in our Bio Safety level (BSL) 2 + labs, and the samples tested positive for the H1N1 virus. There is no use panicking, as the virus is here to stay.

It is an air-borne disease, and the weather is conducive to the multiplication and spread of the virus. There are bound to be more cases."

Dr Chaudhary added that the Haffkine Institute had started screening patients with severe acute respiratory illnesses in all outpatient departments (OPDs) of city hospitals in order to study the virus strains circulating in the city.

The three-year-old patient, a resident of Tardeo, was admitted to the Nair hospital three days ago with classic symptoms of an H1N1 infection, including fever, sore throat, and nasal discharge.

Doctors immediately administered Tamiflu, the H1N1 antidote prescribed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

"We did not want to take any chances, and immediately began treatment. Her throat swabs were sent to Haffkine, and tests for the virus came back positive. We have quarantined her. She is doing fine without any ventilator support," said Dr Ravi Rannavre, dean, Nair hospital.

The other 36-year-old woman who tested positive for the virus was treated at the outpatient department (OPD) at a Powai private clinic run by Dr Gaurnag Desai.

"The woman came complaining of flu symptoms. I decided to send her for H1N1 testing on Friday. The report came back positive. I have put her on Tamiflu, and will even administered doses of the same as prophylaxis treatment for the family members," said Dr Desai.

Officialspeak
Confirming that two patients had tested positive for the virus, BMC's Executive Health Officer Dr Anil Bandiwadekar, said, "Both the patients are stable, and their condition is improving. There is no reason to worry, but people should take necessary precautions. At present we are just monitoring the situation."

Expertspeak
Dr Om Shrivastav, an infectious diseases expert, said, "The humidity in the air is conducive to all the influenza viruses, including the H1N1 strain. Doctors should have basic preparedness, while patients should be equipped with knowledge of the symptoms, such as sore throat, fever and nasal discharge."

At risk
- Those suffering from airway diseases like coughs, colds, and runny noses
- Patients who are on steroids
- Patients who are immuno-compromised
- Pregnant women
- Children
Classic H1N1 Symptoms
- Mucus discharge from nostrils
- Fever
- Sore throat

Vaccine
According the WHO, vaccines are the most effective ways of safeguarding oneself from contracting the illness during influenza epidemics and pandemics.