Swine flu: IT student tests positive

On Wednesday,a 20-year-old IT student was detected with H1N1 virus. According to the Union Health Ministry...

On Wednesday,a 20-year-old IT student was detected with H1N1 virus. According to the Union Health Ministry,the student had visited the US and Canada and had arrived at Hyderabad from London on May 30 by flight number BA-277. While he did not report fever on arrival,a day later he came to a hospital with complaints of cough,running nose and fever. His samples were sent to National Institute of Virology NIV and National Institute of Communicable Diseases NICD and on Tuesday night tested positive for novel Influenza. He has been put on emergency medicine and his contacts are being traced for monitoring their health status, an NICD official said.

While the Ministry has alerted the airlines,the tracking of passengers will be done by Thursday, an official in the Ministry said.

Meanwhile,an eight-year-old girl,who had gone to the US on an education tour,and her family were put on quarantine at Coimbatore Medical College on Wednesday,suspecting her fever and throat infection as possible symptoms of swine flu. The number of the H1N1 virus infected cases has gone up to six in Coimbatore,including a doctor who may have contracted the disease while attending those under quarantine.

According to hospital sources,the parents of the girl turned up voluntarily for check-up after their daughter had high fever and throat infection on her return from the US. The family is based in Ooty.

We have collected blood samples and sent it to the NICD. We will collect swabs daily for the next one week and send it for test. For now,we have restricted their movements, said Dr V Kumaran,Dean in-charge,Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. A house surgeon of the medical college,who was part of the team monitoring the condition of quarantined persons,was among the latest cases of suspected swine flu.

Tamil Nadu is on a high alert following reported cases of swine flu,and is taking all efforts to monitor the situation.

However,experts say that average Indians,having been exposed to a host of diseases,may have developed more immunity to control or even prevent contracting the disease. The higher temperature in the tropics as opposed to the colder climate in the West,may not be as conducive for the virus,they opine.