Woman dies of swine flu at Hospicio

Woman dies of swine flu at Hospicio
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, AUG 2
A 32-year old woman from Moti Dongor-Margao has died of H1N1 at the Hospicio hospital.
Information revealed that the woman was admitted to the government hospital on July 27 and was being diagnosed for pneumonia. She died two days later. However, as a matter of abundant caution, Hospicio doctors had dispatched her swab for testing to Delhi. The report which came in on Monday has confirmed that the woman tested positive for H1N1.
When contacted, Dr Edwardo De Mello confirmed that the woman died of H1N1. Replying to a question, Dr De Mello said the deceased woman was admitted in the Hospicio with suspected pneumonia. “As a matter of caution, her swab was sent for testing, which has come positive”, he said.
When the Director of Health services, Dr Rajananda Desai was contacted to throw more light on the incident, she said that the health officials are indeed perplexed over the death of the woman due to H1N1. “Though the report has confirmed that the woman had tested positive for H1N1, we are not certain whether she had this flu that proved fatal”, she said.
She said that the woman had traveled to Karnataka before she was down with sickness for the last two months. “We are indeed surprised that the woman has tested positive for H1N1”, she added.
Dr Desai, however, said that the Directorate of Health Services has made their presence felt at the migrant-inhabited Moti Dongor and has given tablets for flu. She said that health officials will kick off an awareness campaign in the densely populated area in a day or two to spread awareness amongst the inhabitants on H1N1
Incidentally, the Margao Urban Health Officer Dr Geeta Kakodkar had last week cautioned citizens of the commercial capital on H1N1 following the spurt in cases in Kerala, Pune and many parts of Karnataka.