Four test negative for swine flu in city

Four suspect swine flu cases were tested at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on Saturday. All samples,however,tested negative for Influenza A (H1N1) virus at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD).

Four suspect swine flu cases were tested at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on Saturday. All samples,however,tested negative for Influenza A (H1N1) virus at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD).

Among the suspects was a 25-year-old man from Ghaziabad,who returned from Texas on April 19 and went to RML on Friday with what doctors called flu-like symptoms after learning about the disease from the media. Another is a 35-year-old UK citizen,who came to the hospital on Saturday morning. The patient reportedly developed flu-like symptoms on his flight from London; he was referred to the hospital after screening at the IGI Airport.

Both have been kept in isolation,RML Medical Superintendent Dr N K Chaturvedi said. Though the tests were negative,we have kept them under observation since we dont want to take any chances. We will discharge them once their condition improves.

The third patient was travelling from Chicago with his wife. He also had flu-like symptoms,so airport authorities sent him and his wife to RML after screening to ensure isolation,in case they were infected, Dr Chaturvedi said. He was discharged after doctors found he had developed the symptoms because he was suffering from a terminal liver problem,Dr Chaturvedi said.

Doctors at NICD have so far received three samples from Delhi and three from Hyderabad,Dr Shashi Khare,Head of Virology,NICD,said.

Meanwhile,emphasising that RML is ready to tackle the swine flu,Dr Chaturvedi said the hospital has isolated 30 beds for patients with symptoms of having caught H1N1 virus.

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