17 swine flu deaths in Madhya Pradesh since July 1: Government

Bhopal: Swine flu has claimed 17 lives in Madhya Pradesh since July 1, with the death of a 40-year-old woman in Indore on Friday.

As many as 44 patients are being treated for the infection in various hospitals.

Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme’s (IDSP’s) Indore incharge Dr Asha Pandit said the woman was admitted to a private hospital in Indore on August 21. She was tested positive for swine flu two days back, she added.

Earlier in the day, a Health department official said that 16 patients died due to swine flu up to August 24.

“Between July 1 and August 24, 16 patients died due to H1N1 virus infection. Eighteen patients are being treated in government hospitals and 26 in private ones,” the official said.

Of 455 suspected cases of swine flu reported in the state since July 1, 101 tested positive for the disease.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday held a meeting to review the measures to combat the rising cases of swine flu in the state.

Chouhan directed the officials to ensure adequate stocks of medicines besides readying of isolation wards to treat swine flu patients in every district hospital, an official of the publicity department said.

“The chief minister also said that private hospitals should be asked to start the treatment immediately if any patient is found with swine flu symptoms. They should also share information about such patients with the health department,” the official said.

Gauri Singh, Principal Secretary, Public Health, informed during the meeting that facilities for screening and treatment of the disease are available in 65 hospitals across the state.

Sample testing to detect H1N1 infection cases is being done at laboratories in Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Gwalior, the secretary said, assuring that adequate stocks of medicines are available.