Swine Flu hits again: One dies due to Influenza-A H1Ni virus at SKIMS

SYED BASHARAT. Dated: 2/4/2013 11:12:11 PM

SRINAGAR, Feb 4: After battling for life, for the last over a week, a middle aged man from Ganderbal today surrendered to Influenza-A H1N1 commonly known as Swine Flu here at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS).
The deceased identified as Ghulam Hassan of Tulmula Ganderbal was working as head assistant in administration department of the SKIMS. Confirming the cause of his death, Dr Showkat Zargar, director SKIMS, said the lungs of the deceased were completely damaged by the virus. “He was receiving artificial ventilation. Since his lungs were badly damaged, his life couldn’t be saved,” Dr Zargar informed, adding that the Institute has proper infrastructure and medicine available to cope up with the situation.
Sources in the health department revealed that there is heightened viral activity including that of Influenza –A H1N1 in Kashmir at present. “Many samples have been tested positive for this strain of virus,” said a senior officer in the health department, pleading anonymity.
However, Director SKIMS observed that reports of a major swine flu outbreak are false and people need not panic as the situation is not as bad as it is made out to be by rumour-mongers. “The confusion among the people is mainly due to similarities between seasonal influenza and swine flu,” Dr Zargar said adding that the symptoms for both the ailments are the same, and both H1N1 and the influenza virus affect the upper respiratory system.
“We can prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza by covering the nose and mouth. We should inculcate habit of frequent hand wash preferably with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. One should avoid close contact with infected people,” Dr Zargar said.
He further said that family members particularly the attendants of the patient with flu should cover their mouth and nose properly. “Besides, people should not allow kids and elderly people to remain in close contact with the infected,” Dr Zargar added.
On January 21, after detection of three swine flu cases in Kashmir, the Health Department had convened a high-level meeting to review the measures to identify the patients and provide them medical aid.
This is not for the first time that swine flu has been reported in Kashmir. In 2009, around 53 people were detected with the flu and two had died because of the disease.
Dr Pervez Kaul, head of the department Medicine at SKIMS, who supervises the swine flu treatment at the SKIMS believes that prevention is the best cure for the people. “Off course, there is heightened viral activity in Kashmir including that of influenza A. One has to take precautions which otherwise are taken in other kind of infections particularly that of upper respiratory tract infections,” Dr Kaul said.
In 2009, when asked about the causes of the disease they found in the confirmed cases, experts had informed that 25 per cent of the confirmed cases were found indigenous while as 75 per cent of the confirmed cases carried the infection from outside the State.

 

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