Influenza,diarrhoea cases shoot up in state

Dr D P Mishra,Medical Superintendent of Balrampur Hospital,said: “Tho-ugh the mortality rate of both influenza and swine flu is more or less same and till now,no deaths have occurred because of either,we treat around 150 patients of influenza every day. On the other hand,161 samples of suspected swine flu cases have been sent for testing till now.”

Diarrhoea has affected many as well,with 139 patients admitted to the Infectious Disease Hospital in August alone and 50 being treated at the Balrampur Hospital every day.

On an average,the hospital sends 20 swine flu samples daily for testing — on Monday,however,this number stood at 33.

While the total number of people affected by H1N1 virus in the state has reached 28,according to the data released by Department of Infectious and Communicable disease — Diarrhea has already claimed 70 lives this year.

Moreover,19 have succumbed to measles,seven to chicken pox and three to jaundice.

Over 7,500 people have been infected by diarrhea alone and chicken pox has spread to 4,724 patients,similar to last year’s data.

“Like any other virus,swine flu is also self limiting and we can only treat its symptoms. It being a new virus,the human body is yet to develop immunity against it,” said Dr I Saran,Chief Medical Superintendent of Balrampur Hospital. In swine flu,the respiratory tracks get more inflated than in normal flu,due to which there is scarcity of oxygen,he added. Three new cases come up
Three new cases of H1N1 virus surfaced on Monday. Shamshuddin (22),who studies in Pune and belongs to Sultanpur,and Shivangi (5) from Lucknow have been confirmed with swine flu. “Today,65 new samples have been sent for tests,” said A K Shukla,Chief Medical Officer of Lucknow