First A/H1N1 death reported in Bangladesh

[Shiloh]

Source: http://bdnews24.com/details.php?id=141491&cid=2

First swine flu death reported in Bangladesh


Mon, Aug 31st, 2009 1:11 am BdST

Dial 2324 from your mobile for latest news
Dhaka, Aug 30 (bdnews24.com)?Lab Aid Hospital reported the first swine flu death in Bangladesh on Sunday, a day after officials said the country's alert level may be raised from 2 to 3, signalling an epidemic.

The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has yet to officially confirm the death as the country's first H1N1 fatality.

Mita Chakravarty, 35, died at around 10.30pm, Dr Samiran Kumar Saha, professor of medicine at Lab Aid and the patient's supervising doctor, told bdnews24.com.

Saha said Mita, of Savar's Uttar Para, was one of the 199 H1N1 cases detected in the country up to Sunday.

She was admitted to Savar's Enam Medical College Hospital on Aug 16 with suspected dengue, but when it was clear her symptoms did not match dengue, and might be swine flu, Mita was transferred to Lab Aid, her family said.

"Mita was admitted to Lab Aid Hospital in Dhanmondi on Aug 20, and subsequent tests at IEDCR confirmed she had contracted the H1N1, or swine flu, virus," said Saha.

"Her condition was serious as she was suffering complications with pneumonia."

"We can say this is the first reported swine flu death in the country," Saha said.

IEDCR director Mahmudur Rahman told bdnews24.com later Sunday night that they had heard of the death.

"But we cannot make any official statement tonight. We will be able to confirm it in the morning."

Alert level may be raised

Officials and experts at a swine flu seminar on Saturday said Bangladesh may soon raise its H1N1 alert to level 3, signalling an epidemic, in light of the recent jumps in the number of detected swine flu cases.

They said there was no cause for panic but stressed the need for better dissemination of information about swine flu to ensure people in both urban and rural areas go for proper treatment and take simple measures to curb the spread of the virus.

Senior scientific officer of IEDCR Mushtuq Husain told the seminar that the country was now at alert level 2, but could soon be at level 3, as the rising number of detected cases gave an indication of the actual spread of the virus across the country.

But, he said, there was no reason to fear, "We have been alert since the day WHO declared a pandemic."

The World Health Organization declared a global H1N1 flu pandemic on June 11. Bangladesh's first case was detected on June 11.

Saturday also a record number of cases, 31, detected in a single day.

Dr Nazrul Islam, former vice chancellor of BSMMU, told the seminar, "The spread of swine flu is rising and we cannot remain isolated from it in this globalised world."

Islam also said there was no reason for panic as doctors across the country were being trained to deal with the situation.

Husain said the country was preparing for a level 3 alert. "An action plan has been developed to fight this sort of situation."

"It will require stricter control at airports and other immigration points as well as clinical measures."

'Prepared'

Health minister AFM Ruhul Haq said earlier this month that the regional scenario, including the growing swine flu fatalities reported in India, was "alarming" for Bangladesh, but the country was prepared to deal with the situation.

The government has said sufficient stocks of flu drugs are in place and doctors are receiving specialised training on a rolling basis throughout the country.

Officials and experts at Saturday's seminar said the virus was now being transmitted at higher rates within the country, and the public should make use of swine flu treatment facilities in place in the capital and at every district-level hospital in the country.

IEDCR advises schools and offices to grant leave to anyone who displays symptoms of the flu.

bdnews24.com/lh/sit/rah/0025h

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: First A/H1N1 death reported in Bangladesh

Bangladesh reports 1st H1N1 flu death

A patient who was admitted to a private hospital in Dhaka is the first person to die from H1N1 influenza in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh government confirmed Monday. Mahmudur Rahman, director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, confirmed a 35-year-old woman died from the infection Sunday night.


View Original Article

 

[Treyfish]

Re: First A/H1N1 death reported in Bangladesh

1st swine flu death reported as
preparedness sounds hollow
Sajia Afrin
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=8 width="1%" align=right><TBODY><TR><TD> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The first swine flu death officially confirmed Monday and refusal of designated hospitals to do initial diagnosis caused a wave of panic among people with cold and fever and left them in confusion over where to go, patients and relatives said.
A 35-year woman died at the city?s private hospital, LabAid Sunday night and the government confirmed it as the first swine flu death since the country?s first H1N1 virus infection was detected on June 18.
?A swine flu positive patient died last (Sunday) night at LabAid hospital,? Professor Mahmudur Rahman, director of the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), told New Age on Monday.
The victim, Mitali Chakravarty, 35, died at LabAid Hospital around 10.30pm on Sunday night.
Mitali was admitted to Savar?s Enam Medical College Hospital on August 16 with suspected dengue and was transferred to LabAid hospital in Dhanmondi when her symptoms matched with H1N1 virus infection.
Relatives of the victim instantly told the media Sunday night that she died of swine flu, but hospital authorities kept mum while the government authorities waited until the next day to speak out.
?Subsequent tests at IEDCR confirmed that she had contracted H1N1 virus,? said the IEDCR director, who has been telling the media almost everyday about the government?s preparedness to combat the disease.
The lack of preparedness of the designated city hospitals surfaced as suspected swine flu patients were seen shuttling between hospitals in frustration and panic as they were denied tests for H1N1 and referred to IEDCR.
The lone government institute was grappling with the rush of patients queuing for hours.
The first victim Mitali was not among the swine flu patients detected so far, with IEDCR authorities keeping the patients? locations secret but claiming that all of them were recovering or fully cured meanwhile.
The institute diagnosed 14 new cases on Monday taking the number to 213 until the evening. Three infected patients were admitted to hospitals in critical condition.
IEDCR sources suspect some swine flu patients might remain beyond their knowledge and surveillance.
After the highest single day detection of 31 cases on Saturday, the health authorities announced that 13 hospitals in Dhaka had been geared towards treating swine flu patients and physicians at general hospitals in all districts had been trained to diagnose and treat the H1N1 virus carriers, if found any.
But most of the designated hospitals were found ill-equipped to tackle the patients. Some have beds readied, but are not admitting any patient or not even doing the initial diagnosis, patients and relatives complained.
Some public and private hospitals were found turning away the patients even if they were in critical condition.
Yet, health minister AFM Ruhal Huq advised the people to go to hospitals for check if they suffer from high fever with respiratory problems.
Physicians of a private clinic in Mirpur referred Iva, 20, a suspected swine flu patient, to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University for treatment. ?We took her to the BSMMU hospital Monday morning but the security turned us away saying that there was no arrangement to receive swine flu patients?, her relative Sabuj told New Age at the BSMMU hospital.
She was suffering from fever and respiratory problems, he said.
Failing to find out the swine flu ward at the BSMMU Hospital, they took her to Shaheed Suhrawardi Hospital, but the hospital authorities suggested them to take her to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
The ?flu ward? of Dhaka Medical College Hospital turned Iva away saying that it only receives H1N1 ?confirmed? patients, he said.
The family took her to IEDCR for H1N1 test. ?We have taken her to a Mirpur clinic again after the test. The IEDCR said that it will inform us about the report over telephone tomorrow (Tuesday),? Sabuj said.
BSMMU vice-chancellor Professor Pran Gopal Datta and hospital superintendent M Abdul Majid Bhuiyan claimed Monday that the hospital was ?fully? ready to treat suspected swine flu patients at level 11 at the D-block of the hospital.
?We have trained 15 doctors and physicians at all outdoors were asked to inform me if there is any swine flue patient,? he said.
The level 11 at the D-block of the hospital was not found ready to receive patient as there was no bed, physicians and staff until 1:00pm Monday. Cleaners were only removing the dusts at a section of the level 11.
The Dhaka Medical College Hospital authorities set up a 10-bed flu ward although no patient was admitted there.
It was learnt that some eight potential swine flu patients went to the DMCH for treatment, but the authorities concerned asked them to go the IEDCR for tests, source said.
?We received some patients at the outdoor,? a physician at the flu ward said. ?But the ward is empty.?
When asked about the allegation that the hospital was turning away the patients, DMCH director Bazle Rashid told New Age, ?I?ll not contest the allegation. Write whatever the patients have said.?
He reportedly misbehaved with the reporter and camera crew of a television channel in his office as they questioned about the treatment of swine flu at the hospital.
Some private hospitals were making contradictory statements about providing treatment to patients with swine flu-like symptoms.
Dr Mirja Nazimuddin, a consultant of Square Hospital, claimed they did not receive patients as it was not a government-designated hospital for swine flu treatment.
However, a confirmed swine flu patient was undergoing treatment at the hospital, he said. ?The patient, who was admitted to the hospital on August 24, is undergoing treatment in a separate intensive care unit,? he said.
LabAid Hospital authorities claimed they were not admitting swine flu patients although Mitali, a confirmed patient, died there Sunday night.
Health minister AFM Ruhal Haq on Monday advised people not to be panicked about the spread of swine flu, reports BDnews24.com.
?There is nothing to panic if one contracts the virus. We have sufficient stock of vaccine, Oseltamivir capsule,? the minister told reporters at the secretariat. ?Many companies in our country are manufacturing the medicine.:tiphat:http://www.newagebd.com/2009/sep/01/front.html

 

[Treyfish]

Re: First A/H1N1 death reported in Bangladesh

Govt confirms first swine flu death
14 fresh infection reported; patients complain about wasting time in testing
Staff Correspondent


<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 width=200 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=osdn-navtext>

Patients with swine flu symptoms line up for medical checkups at a lab at the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR). Photo: Sk Enamul Haq ​

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The government yesterday confirmed the first death from swine flu and 14 fresh cases. Many hospitals in the capital seemed ill prepared to tackle swine flu patients while the doctors and nurses of some seemed reluctant to take even the basic precautionary measures.

Government sources said a total of 213 swine flu cases have been diagnosed since June 18 but most of the pations have already been cured and the rest are mild infections.

"Currently three swine flu patients are in critical condition in hospitals and they have been provided with anti-viral drugs," said Prof Mahmudur Rahman, director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).

Doctors confirmed Thursday that 37-year-old Mitali Chakrabarti, who died early Monday, had swine flu. She had sought treatment for dengue fever at a private hospital in the capital on August 20 and it became a complicated case, said Prof Mahmudur.

The authorities also said, as per the guidelines of the World Health Organisation, people need not waste time with testing for A (H1N1) since the virus has already spread widely. Rather, they should start symptom management treatments and isolating the patients with symptoms.

However, different hospitals, including some of the hospitals provided with special training by the government, are sending patients to test and confirm swine flu without giving them any cautionary messages or treatment.

Talking to The Daily Star at IEDCR, a resident of Uttara said she sought treatment at Uttara Adhunik Medical College and Hospital Sunday after suffering from flu-like symptoms for three days.

"But after moving me around from one table to another for some time they asked me to test for swine flu. They did not give me any other message or symptomatic treatment," said the lady.

Another woman who went to Bangladesh Medical College had similar complaints. "We are now wasting time in the name of testing instead of getting treatment," she said.

Prof Haider Ali, head of the department of medicine at Uttara Adhunik Medical College, said they received training on dealing with swine flu patients and they have started their work from Sunday.

"A two-bed isolation unit has been set up but we are yet to receive the anti-viral drug," he said, adding that the primary symptoms of swine flu and seasonal flu are common and that is why they cannot start treatment for swine flu without being sure.

He said they set up a separate outdoor section for patients with flu-like symptoms.

Visiting different hospitals in the capital The Daily Star correspondents yesterday found out that wards opened up exclusively for swine flu patients are very hard to locate.

In some hospitals the wards were dirty or locked from the outside.

Doctors and nurses as well as the patients in most government hospitals of the city were seen not wearing masks or gloves as precautionary measure.

Even though the government said 15 government and private hospitals have been prepared to manage swine flu patients, the reality is somewhat different.

Most of the people going to those hospitals do not know that there are separate outdoor sections for patients with flu-like symptoms. They do not even know where the isolation units are.

Even the anti-viral drug Oseltamivir is yet to reach those hospitals.

BSMMU: Prof Pran Gopal Dutta, Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) said a 100-bed isolation unit has been set up on 16th floor of Block-D to treat swine flu patients. However, the ward is not yet ready for patients.

Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH): An eight-bed isolation unit has been set up on July 27 on the second floor of the hospital. Three patients with swine flu were admitted there and cured. One more patient was admitted there yesterday.

While talking to The Daily Star Senior Consultant-in-Charge Arjun Chandra Dey said they have started a separate outdoor corner Sunday for patients with flu-like symptoms and an average of 10 people with flu-like illness are seeking treatment there every day.

He also said IDH has a stock of 5,000 anti-viral drugs for treating 500 patients.

Dhaka Medical College and Hospital: A 10-bed isolation ward for swine flu patients has been set up at the administrative block of the hospital but doctors said it would be moved to the second floor soon.

However, they confirmed that an average of 20 patients a day with flu-like symptoms come for treatment at the outdoor section but no patient has been admitted yet.

Suhrawardi Medical College and Hospital: The swine flu ward, which was opened up about a week ago, remains closed after 2:00pm. There were no directions to the ward for patient making the ward extremely difficult to find.

The Daily Star correspondents eventually found the ward around 3:00pm and it seemed dirty to them after having a peek inside through the window.

Patients and their attendants of other wards said the doctors and nurses leave the ward around 2:00pm.

Emergency Medical Officer Anwarul Kadir of the hospital told The Daily Star that they have been instructed to refer the patients they suspect to be infected with swine flu to the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).

Dhaka Shishu Hospital: A seven-bed special ward has been opened at the second floor of the hospital. The doctors and nurses of this hospital were seen taking precautionary measures.

The doctors said they have patients with influenza-like symptoms and are taking special care of them. If they suspect anyone to be infected with swine flu, they immediately refer them to the IEDCR.

Mitford Hospital: Brig Gen Khadimul Insan Muhammad Iqbal, director of the hospital, told The Daily Star that they have opened a ward with eight beds a week ago. They will increase the number of beds if the flow of patients increases.

He said, "We have received all the necessary equipment from the government to detect swine flu patients and cure them. The doctors and nurses concerned have been trained as well."

However, Health Minister Prof AFM Ruhal Haque at Bangladesh Secretariat told journalists that there is nothing to be panicked about.

"The county has enough stock of the anti-viral drugs and if treatment starts at primary stage, the death risk will be reduced," he said, adding that what is needed most is to maintain personal hygiene and flu etiquette.

"We should cover our mouth while sneezing or coughing. At the same time wearing mask will be helpful to contain the virus," he added.:tiphat:http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=103876