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Suspected A(H1N1) death in Kollam

KOLLAM: Medical authorities are examining whether the death of a 52-year-old man at a private hospital here was due to A(H1N1) influenza. Stanley was admitted to the hospital with respiratory problems at 6 p.m. on July 1. He was declared dead at 8.30 p.m.

A statement from District Medical Officer K.J. George here on Thursday said the throat swab and blood samples of the victim had been sent to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi. The mortuary chamber of the hospital has been sealed by the hospital authorities. The body will be released after getting the examination reports by Friday.

Dr. George said Stanley was based in the United Kingdom and had arrived here on June 12. He was a native of Kanjavely, near here. He had high blood pressure and was a diabetic.

According to an official spokesperson of the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, the total number of confirmed swine flu cases in the country has gone up to 116 with four new cases reported from Gurgaon, Kollam, Pune and Bangalore. Of these, 80 have already been discharged after treatment.

Meanwhile, the medical administration has quarantined a passenger who landed in the Thiruvananthapuram airport on Thursday on a Dubai flight on suspicion that he might have contracted the influenza. The person, a native of Alappuzha, has been kept under isolation in the special ward that has been set up at the General Hospital. Throat swabs collected from him will be sent to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases on Friday morning.

A Correspondent writes from Nedumbassery: Two more passengers who reached the Cochin international airport at Nedumbassery on Thursday were quarantined at the Aluva taluk hospital for symptoms of influenza A (H1N1).

Airport health officials said a 20-year-old woman who landed here by an Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi on her return from the U.S. and a 33-year-old man who flew in from Ireland via Dubai were rushed to the quarantine station at Aluva on suspicion of a virus infection. They were found suffering from sore throat, cough and fever.

Sources said the woman was a native of Nellad, Muvattupuzha, whereas the man hailed from Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district. Samples of their swab serum had been sent for detailed test.

Meanwhile, three persons who had been admitted to the Perumbavoor taluk hospital were discharged on Thursday after being tested negative.

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