Swine flu pattern a concern: govt

The statistical data with the state Health and Family Welfare Department has revealed that nearly 71 per cent of the deaths caused by the disease in the state were in the age group of 13 to 45 years.

According to the state Health and Family Welfare Department,the changing pattern of the H1N1 virus in terms of the age of the victims is worrisome.

S J Gandhi,Deputy Director,Epidemic,said: “This matter is quite worrisome for us. Most of the deceased are in the age group of 13-45 years. Most of these were the sole breadwinners of their families. In case of any flu,we are asking patients to approach private hospitals so that H1N1 virus can be detected at an early stage.”

Gandhi said,“We are not aware of the national pattern of H1N1,but we are trying to take as many precautions as possible.”

According to the Health Department data,seven per cent deaths in the state caused by the H1N1 virus have been of people who were in the age group of 0-12 years while 22 per cent were people above 45.

Three more people are reported to have died of the swine flu virus at Rajkot civil Hospital on Saturday.

So far,126 people in the state have died of the deadly virus. Besides,eight persons from Rajasthan are reported to have succumbed to the disease at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital so far.

According to health officials,as on December 27,180 positive cases of H1N1 virus from Ahmedabad,99 from Surat,65 from Vadodara and 18 cases from Gandhinagar have been reported. Besides,19 positive cases from Kutch,8 from Mehsana,4 from Navsari,9 from Valsad,34 from Bhavnagar,93 from Rajkot,12 from Jamnagar,9 from Amreli,5 from Bharuch,8 from Junagadh,21 from Sabarkantha,25 from Banaskantha,4 from Patan and 2 from Surendranagar have been reported.

The Health officials further said as the new virus cases were transmitted within the community,it was the need of the hour to rope in private hospitals.

3 die of swine flu in Rajkot

Three more persons died of swine flu in the state,taking the death toll to 126,said state Health Department officials.

One-year-old Adnan Imtiyazbhai and Madhuben Narendrabhai (24) died in the PDU Civil Hospital in Rajkot on Saturday,while Altaf Alibhai (35) died in the same hospital on Friday.

As many as 18 new cases of swine flu have been reported from Rajkot,Bhavnagar,Ahmedabad,Jamnagar,Surat,Palanpur and Vadodara.

According to the Health Department,739 people have tested positive with the deadly virus in Gujarat. Among the 126 dead,there are eight patients from Rajasthan.

Meanwhile,alarmed by the gradual rise in the deaths,the Health officials have asked all public and private hospitals treating swine flu patients to observe guidelines issued by the Central government and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

According to a senior Health official,all hospitals have been directed to report to the district health officer immediately if anyone tests positive with swine flu.

— PTI