Assam sounds high alert after swine flu claims first victim in Meghalaya

According to the reports, a patient, who tested positive for swine flu (H1N1) in Meghalaya, died on Sunday.

Recently, two patients were tested positive for swine flu in the north eastern state.

The 58-year-old woman from Arbuthnot area near Shillong in East Khasi Hills district was admitted at Nazareth hospital in Shillong on October 17 with symptoms of fever, cough, weakness, respiratory distress, after visiting her son in Pune and arrived at Guwahati airport on October 15.

A top official of Meghalaya state health department said that, the 58-year-old woman died at the private hospital on Sunday.

“Another woman has also been admitted at a private hospital in Shillong and she has also tested positive for H1N1,” the top official said.

The 29-year-old woman from Mumbai was visiting Shillong to attend a catholic convention on Oct 18 and she was admitted at a private hospital on Oct 24 after complaining of fever, headache and other problems.

On the other hand, Assam government on Monday sounded high alert across the state after swine flu claimed first victim in neighbouring state Meghalaya.

Dr Umesh Phangshu, Joint Director of National Health Mission, Assam, said that, there is no report of any detection of swine flu case in Assam so far, but the Assam government has sounded high alert across the state following H1N1 positive cases detected in Meghalaya.

“Three days before, we have received information from the Meghalaya government that, two positive cases of swine flu (H1N1) were detected in the state. Following the incident, we have taken all possible preventive measures. We have directed all the districts to take all preventive measures to contain the disease and prevent any outbreak,” Dr Phangshu said.

Earlier, Meghalaya government on Oct 25 sounded high alert across the state and directed the state health department to take all preventive measures.

(Reporting by Hemanth Kumar Nath)