Pimpri-Chinchwad down with fever

Residents in almost all parts of Pimpri-Chinchwad are making a beeline at private hospitals and the lone designated civc hospital after complaining of flu-like symptoms. In last one month,a staggering 56,755 citizens had been down with cold and fever. As many as 1,402 citizens have tested positive for swine flu and three deaths due to HINI virus have been reported in the town. Along with the swine flu cases,dengue and malaria cases have been constantly on the rise.

According to Dr Rajshekhar Iyer,medical director of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation,on Thursday 90 citizens had tested positive swine flu. “Before their report about throat swab were received,the patients were put on Tamiflu. Eightythree of them have recovered and have been discharged,” he said. Currently,four swine flu patients are undergoing treatment at four different hospitals in Pune and Pimpri. YCM hospital deputy medical superintendet Dr Shyamrao Gaikwad said five patients are undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit of the hospital for swine flu. “Two are confirmed swine flu cases while the reports of other two patients are awaited,” he said. On Thursday,the death of a five-year-old student of a school due to swine flu in Indrayani Nagar and the death of a resident from Bhosari due to pnumenia created quite a scare in the town. Several schools in Bhosari,Chicnhwad and Indrayani Nagar are contemplating closure for a few days to stop the flu spread,but are awaiting further directions from education officials.

In last two weeks,Indrayani Nagar has already seen the highest number of dengue cases. In fact,last month dengue cases created a record as 227 citizens were bitten by the aedis egyptia mosquito. In all since January,587 citizens have been affected by dengue and 555 by malaria,both of them collectively claiming at least four lives. In last 11 days,the dengue cases have jumped by 46 while 14 malaria cases have been recorded. At Aditya Birla hospital,where a majority of dengue and malaria patients are flocking,had as many as 25 dengue cases in August. And in this month till Friday,16 patients dengue were admitted.

Like ordinary citizens,even civic officials and politicians have either been affected by dengue or are down with cold and fever. In fact,even a top medical official in the midst of screening swine flu patient swas down with cold,cough and fever,but he recovered quickly and resumed his duties. A majority of the patients of dengue and malaria are from the upmarket Wakad,Pimple Nilakh,Pimple Saudagar and Indrayani Nagar areas. Thergaon and Kalewadi area other suburbs where dengue and malaria cases started emerging on a big scale. While the treatment for swine flu is free in civic and government officials,in private hospitals both swine flu and dengue patients are paying heavily. A software engineer who spent 15 days in a private hospital after he contracted dengue ran up a bill of Rs 2 lakh.