The Hindu : Front Page : Another A (H1N1) case in Hyderabad

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Thursday, Jun 04, 2009
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Another A (H1N1) case in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: A 20-year-old medical student from Hyderabad has tested positive for influenza A (H1N1) flu virus, health authorities here have confirmed.

This is the second A (H1N1) positive case reported here. The first positive case, which was also the country’s first, was of a 23-year city student returning from New York. It was reported on May 16.

The medico returned to Hyderabad on May 30 from Chicago by a British Airways flight (BA 277). He stayed in Toronto for over a month during his holidays. After developing symptoms of flu including cold, cough and body pain, he got admitted to the Government General and Chest Hospital, Erragadda on June 1.

The National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi, released the confirmed A (H1N1) tests of the student on Wednesday.

The hospital doctors said the flu-positive student was being administered oseltamivir antiviral drug.

“He will be kept on this regimen for five days. His viral load will be checked regularly by sending smear samples to NICD. Already our doctors have treated a positive H1N1 patient and that experience will come in handy now,” said State Coordinator for A(H1N1) flu virus Dr. K. Subhakar.

The authorities are scrutinising the list of co-passengers on the BA flight. The doctors have asked the co-passengers to contact (040-2381-4939/ 92461-57447) in case they develop flu-like symptoms.

Authorities have advised the co-passengers to voluntarily undergo home quarantine for a week.

“We are in the process of contacting the nine family members of the medical student. Our doctors will contact them for counselling,” said District Medical and Health Officer Ch. Jaya Kumari.

Two more passengers have been admitted to the Chest Hospital with suspected symptoms.

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