Kochi:
A 52-year-old NRI, suspected to have contracted swine flu, died shortly after being admitted to a hospital in Kollam district even as the number of swine flu cases in the state rose to six with two children testing positive for the influenza on Thursday.
Stanley Pelis, who arrived in Kerala two weeks ago from UK, died shortly after he was admitted to a hospital on Wednesday night and his throat swab, has been sent to National Institute of Communicable diseases, New Delhi, K Shylaja, Director, Health Services, said.
If confirmed, he would be the first victim of the flu in the country. Pelis, hailing from Kollam, was admitted to Holy Cross Hospital at Kottiyam in the district with high fever and breathlessness at around 7 pm on Wednesday night and died at 9 pm, Shylaja said.
She said a seven-year-old boy and his 12-year-old sister tested positive for the virus today. Their mother had earlier tested positive for the influenza. The family, hailing from Kozhikode, had returned from Dubai recently. Besides them, three other patients had also tested positive.
Two others, who arrived at Kochi airport from US and Ireland on Thursday morning, have been quarantined after they were suspected to be having symptoms of the flu.