Swine flu victim stable

Shruti,an NRI transiting through Kolkata,became the state’s first confirmed case of swine flu. “She is being administered regular doses of Tamiflu. Her condition is improving,” a doctor at the hospital said.

State health department officials said a report on Shruti’s condition and steps taken by the department has been forwarded to the Union government. Sources in the health department said the state government had also requested the Centre to procure the list of Shruti’s co-passengers and conduct tests on them for possible infection.

Shruti,a resident of Oman,arrived in Kolkata from Australia with her parents on Tuesday morning showing symptoms of swine flu. Her nasal and throat swabs were sent for testing to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) in Delhi,which then informed the state public health engineering department that the samples had tested positive for the virus.

Meanwhile,another traveller returning from abroad was suspected of harbouring the H1N1 virus. Premchand Yadav (50) was sent to the Beliaghata Infectious Diseases Hospital after his flight from Bangkok landed at the NSCBI airport late on Thursday evening. The symptoms were noticed during a medical screening of passengers.