6-year-old tests positive for swine flu

The last case of a swine flu death that the city saw was in June 2010 and the last case appeared in June 2011. Doctors have attributed the re- surfacing of the virus to the unusual cold wave,which the state has been experiencing this year.

Several patients have been referred to Kasturba Hospital,the city’s primary hospital for the treatment of H1N1.

“Around six patients have been referred to the Kasturba Hospital. Patients and their families must refrain from taking self-medication and OTC drugs. If the fever does not subside,then medical advice must be sought the earliest,” he said.

Civic officials have also appealed to private doctors to collaborate with them on all swine flu cases.

“After the seriousness of the virus infection last time,people have got immune. Testing cannot be a fool- proof mechanism of identifying the virus as a person could be a carrier and at the same time be asymptomatic of the disease. Vaccination as a means of preventive measure becomes important then,” said a doctor from Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital,which has also been sending samples to test for the H1N1 virus. Meanwhile,civic officials have assured that they are sufficiently stocked with Tamiflu as well as the nasal syringes vaccines.

“With the temperatures rising,it is highly unlikely that there will any more cases. However,we have an adequate supply of Tamiflu as well as the anti-swine flu vaccines to meet necessary demands,” Bandivdekar added.