Woman dies of swine flu in Shimla

IGMC, Shimla reported death of a 22 years pregnant woman, Guddi Devi, from the Janjhali area of Mandi district after she succumbed to swine flu. This is the third swine flu death in Himachal; the earlier two victims, both residents of Solan, had died in Chandigarh. Guddi Devi was earlier treated at Rampur hospital and was admitted in Shimla on Dec 3 for pneumonia.

Due to her critical condition she was kept on the ventilator in the intensive care unit (ICU) which was shared by 5 other patients. It has been reported that against the usual practice adopted in swine flu cases, she was not shifted to the isolation ward and no precaution was taken to separate her from other patients. Panic spread in the hospital as patients and their attendants rushed to procure precautionary masks and Tamiflu medicines on their own following her death.

With swine flu claiming its third victim, increase in the number of positive cases has rung alarm bells for the authorities who find themselves inadequately prepared to deal with the situation.

Medical experts confirm that chances of swine flu infection spreading is more during the winters, IGMC has sought more supplies of masks and Tamiflu medicines.