Swine Flu: Youth succumbs at SKIMS, toll 8
12 suspected patients admitted at SMHS Hospital; DAK concerned
Following a lull of about a week, H1N1 influenza claimed one more life at SKIMS today. This takes the toll of officially confirmed deaths in JK, attributable to H1N1 influenza, to 8.
According to SKIMS PRO, 27 year old male from Shopian was admitted at SKIMS on February 23, 2015. He had Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and symptoms of influenza. His influenza-A test was positive but the reports for H1N1 were not ready till last reports came in.
Pertinently, even after remaining admitted at the hospital for a week, the patient’s H1N1 status was not clear. Dr Farooq Jan, Medical Superintendent SKIMS said, “The patient had been admitted with suspected H1N1 influenza. However, the test reports are not ready.” “There is lot of backlog because we had been shifting the testing center,” Dr Jan added.
SKIMS authorities said that 10 samples had tested positive for Influenza-A but the samples were yet to be run for H1N1. SKIMS said four patients were admitted in the Isolation Ward of the hospital.
Meanwhile, twelve patients remained admitted at SMHS Hospital. Dr Rafeeq Ahmed Pampori, Principal GMC said, “We have four patients in Medical ICU and eight patients in isolation rooms. They are all suspected cases of H1N1 but have other co-morbidities too.”
He added that H1N1 influenza reports of six patients have been received but did not give the exact number of positives received. “How many are positive, how many negative, I will be able to tell tomorrow,” he said.
“In spite of our designated facility for H1N1 treatment and isolation ready at CD Hospital, people still turn up at SMHS Hospital only. The testing facility at CD Hospital, for which civil works have been started about 10 days back and other procurements are on way, will start soon,” Dr Pampori said.
Meanwhile, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) today said that young healthy adults dying of H1N1 is a matter of serious concern.
President DAK and H1N1 expert Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan said there is a possible change in H1N1 virus as young healthy adults are dying in contrast to its known fatalities in high risk individuals.
“The official figures of deaths due to H1N1 in Kashmir are underestimated as majority of patients are not tested,” he said.
In view of deaths due to H1N1 in healthy adults everyone irrespective of risk should get vaccinated against flu, he said.
