Bangalore, Aug 12 (Inditop.com) Health authorities in Karnataka are awaiting the test reports of a 29-year-old pregnant woman, who died Tuesday, to confirm whether she was suffering from the Influenza A (H1N1) viral disease.
The woman, who died in a hospital in Davangere hospital, around 265 km from here, had been suffering from pneumonia and acute anaemia and had showed swine flu symptoms for over a week.
The woman’s throat and nasal swabs have been sent to NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences) here.
“We’re expecting the results of the test on Thursday. Till then, let us not make any conclusion and create unnecessary panic,” Principal Secretary (Health) I.R. Perumal, told IANS.
“We also suspect that she could have died from dengue fever. However, she had viral fever for over a week. Thus we have sent her nasal and throat swab samples to NIMHANS to see whether she was suffering from swine flu also,” added Shivanna Reddy, district health officer of Davangere.
The woman was working in a Bangalore garment factory, before she left for Davangere, almost two weeks ago when she developed the symptoms.
As Karnataka awaited reports to confirm whether the state had seen its first H1N1 casualty, the condition of the eight-year-old girl, who had tested positive and is in the St. John’s hospital, is still critical.
The helpline – 1056 – dedicated for H1N1 influenza queries, opened to public Tuesday and has been flooded with calls.
More than 100 calls were registered on the first day, as experts tried to answer the queries related to swine flu.
The state has so far recorded 97 confirmed swine flu cases. Of these, 60 have been discharged from hospitals after getting cured.
