Jammu doctor dies in Delhi

A Jammu based senior pediatrician, suspected to have caught Swine Flu, died at a private hospital in New Delhi on Thursday while one more patient was tested positive for HINI influenza in Jammu.
The doctor was on February 24 admitted in Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H) in a critical condition for suspected Swine Flu symptoms.
The deceased identified as Dr Bhupinder Singh was posted at a Government hospital in Bishnah Tehsil of Samba district. Sources in GMC said that Dr Bupinder was on ventilator support in GMC and was referred to Delhi on the request of his family this morning.
They added that the patient was airlifted to a reputed private hospital: “but he did not respond to the treatment and died around 7.00 pm in the evening.”
Sources said that the blood sample of the doctor was sent for testing at New Delhi but culture report has not been received till date.
“The death of doctor has sent shock waves across the medical fraternity as they suspect that death was due to Swine Flu” sources said.
Meanwhile, a total of 21 more samples of suspected Swine flu patients were sent for testing on Thursday.
When contacted, Director Health, Jammu B S Pathania informed that reports of two suspected cases were received from New Delhi today in which one tested positive and one negative.
About the cause of death of doctors, he said, “Nothing can be ruled out right now as he was suffering from the influenza symptoms but his report is awaited so case is not confirmed yet.”
Pertinently, so far out of 157 samples taken (including 21 today) in Jammu Division, 9 cases have tested positive for H1N1 virus, 20 have turned out to be negative and report is awaited in 103 cases, while 25 patients are undergoing treatment in isolated ward at GMC, Jammu .