Re: Tracking Fatalities in Mumbai (Latest 3 women 6/24)
Re: Tracking Fatalities in Mumbai (Latest 3 women 6/24)
Although the hysteria whipped by the highly infectious virus H1N1 has waned, the relentless rampage of the killer disease shows no signs of abating.
With three more lives snuffed out Thursday, the inherent fear is that the situation may once again be spiraling out of control.
All three were women hailing from Mumbai. With their demise, the total number of fatalities in the city and its peripheral areas rose to six since the onset of monsoon.
In addition, there has been a dramatic upturn in swine flu cases in city with 66 people testing positive for the virus in a short span of just a month.
Head of epidemiology cell of BMC Dr Daksha Shah said, ?Last year too, we had noticed that a higher number of women fatalities. This could be because they women tend to neglect their health and rush to the doctor only as a last resort.?
Details of the three victims
The first casualty, a six month pregnant woman from Andheri, was admitted into Vile Parle?s Babasaheb Gawde Hospital on June 17, with breathlessness and fever, all signs of the influenza.
However, the patient was administered Tamiflu two days after her admission to the health facility. The lady, who was also suffering from narrowing of the mitral valve of the heart, died on Tuesday after her condition deteriorated.
The hospital?s assistant medical director, Dr Supriya Malshe said, ?Once we saw her X-ray reports, only then we put her on Tamiflu as we have to be cautions with pregnant woman.?
She added that the patient was also suffering from narrowing of the mitral valve of the heart.
The second victim, a 58-year-old woman from Thane, was a high risk patient suffering from diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular problems. She had also undergone lobectomy in which a part of her lung was removed some 15 years ago.
Though her throat swap was taken immediately on admission to the Zynova Heart Hospital in Ghatkopar, the lady was put on Tamiflu more than 24 hours after hospitalization.
The hospital?s medical director, Dr A K Sinha said, ?The priority was to treat her heart problem. She was already quite critical when she was brought in.?
The third fatality was a 45-year-old woman from Kalyan who was undergoing treatment at INHS Ashwini in Colaba. She also had low immunity and belonged to the high risk group.
Delay in treatment
What is cause for concern is that despite bearing the brunt of the H1N1 monster last year, the medical institutions are still negligent in offering prompt treatment.
Two of the three lives lost recently was an outcome of delay in proper medical intervention.
Dr Daksha Shah admitted, ?There was a delay of about two-three days in administering Tamiflu. But, there was also a delay in taking these patients to the hospital.?
http://www.themedguru.com/20100625/newsfeature/3-women-succumb-swine-flu-mumbai-86136651.html
