First swine flu death in Lucknow this year

LUCKNOW : A swine flu patient died while 10 fresh cases were reported on Thursday, taking the total number of H1N1 cases this year to 104 in the state capital. The deceased was a teacher in a primary school and was brought to Lucknow from Gorakhpur, said Dr KP Tripathi, in-charge, vectorborne diseases in health department.

LUCKNOW: A swine flu patient died while 10 fresh cases were reported on Thursday, taking the total number of H1N1 cases this year to 104 in the state capital.

The deceased was a teacher in a primary school and was brought to Lucknow from Gorakhpur, said Dr KP Tripathi, in-charge, vector-borne diseases in health department. She was suffering from cold and breathing problems, after which she was admitted to a private hospital in Mahanagar. The patient succumbed late on Wednesday. Officials said this was the first H1N1 fatality in the city this year.

Health experts said the extended winter, coupled with rain, was creating favourable conditions for the spread of the disease.

“People with cold and cough are turning up for swine flu test at hospitals,” said a government hospital doctor. He said cases have been reported from almost all parts of the city.

During the day, cases were reported from RDSO Colony, Kalki, Raja Bazaar, Hussainabad, and Gomti Nagar. The earlier cases were reported from Sunderbagh, Vaibhav Khand in Gomti Nagar, Chinhat, Rae Bareli road, Vishal Khand in Gomti Nagar, Sitapur road, Vrindavan Yojna, Nehru Nagar, Alamnagar, Mahanagar and Jankipuram.

“Extended winter this year might have created an environment favourable for spread of the disease,” said Dr Tripathi.

Experts said the disease was less fatal in UP as compared to previous years. “It is possible that due to weather change the disease is troubling people in February also, but the death rate is less,” said Dr Sheetal Verma, senior faculty, KGMU.