2 suspected Swine Flu deaths at SMHS
19 test positive at SKIMS lab; People concerned over ‘mixing’ of patients
Two patients are suspected to have died of Swine Flu at SMHS hospital here within 24 hours, even as officials at SK Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) said 19 more cases tested positive for the influenza.
A 27-year-old man from Qamarwari locality of Srinagar died at SMHS hospital Sunday night, medicos said.
“The young man suffered Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) which deteriorated and led to his respiratory arrest. He had been admitted to hospital on February 21. Though no H1N1 test was conducted on him, his symptoms indicated that he possibly died of H1N1,” said a doctor who attended him.
Doctors at the hospital said a 24-year-old woman from south Kashmir’s Pulwama district was brought to the Casualty and “died within minutes.”
“The girl had Down’s Syndrome and was admitted at Pulwama hospital for two days. She was brought to hospital in a condition of respiratory arrest and could not be resuscitated,” a doctor said.
Medical Superintendent of SMHS, Dr Nazir Choudhary, admitted both the patients were suspected Swine Flu cases.
At J&K’s sole H1N1 testing facility at SKIMS, 19 people tested positive for the influenza that has already claimed six lives in the past few days, officials said.
“Eight patients are still being treated at SKIMS while two were discharged,” a SKIMS spokesperson said.
According to sources, one of the infected is a SKIMS doctor.
“In addition, one confirmed H1N1 influenza pediatric patient is admitted in the Isolation Ward of GB Pant Hospital,” they said.
“Of four samples we had sent for testing, one has been confirmed as H1N1 positive. We have now shifted the patient to Isolation Ward,” Dr Munir Masoodi, Medical Superintendent of GB Pant Hospital said.
People are concerned at the decision of administrations of various hospitals to house H1N1 suspects with other patients.
According to sources, the 28-year-old man who died in SKIMS on Saturday was shifted to isolation ward only a few hours before his death.
“Prior to that, the person was kept with other patients in Cardiology ward of the hospital, thus exposing all patients there to infection,” a source said.
Dr Farooq Jan, MS SKIMS admitted that the patient was kept with others for two days before his death. “He had other conditions and as soon as we suspected he had H1N1 influenza, we shifted him to the isolation,” he said.
At GB Pant Hospital, sources said, the child who was shifted to Isolation Ward had already “moved through three wards.” “In spite of doctors being highly suspicious of the child having H1N1 influenza, we were not allowed to isolate the patient,” said a doctor there.
Dr Masoodi said, “Yes, we had sent four samples for testing but only one tested positive. We therefore isolated the patient.”
