Saturday, March 24, 2012

India Maharashtra Pune H1N1 Deaths: Commentary

Since March 3rd - until today, March 24 - there have been 8 deaths in Pune.
Gathering news sources, this commentary is to put together some facts of the facts surrounding the deaths. On fact that is standing out right now for me is the space of only 3-4 days from onset to death.

The first article, talks of four deaths in Pune. That was on March 17th
[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Swine-flu-erupts-in-Pune-claims-four-lives/articleshow/12306713.cms]
Excerpt:
...claiming four lives in Pune in the past fortnight, including two Friday, putting the state health machinery in a state of high alert, a top official said.
Besides, the four fatalities, another 34 victims are admitted in different city hospitals.

"The condition of at least five people is critical and they have been put on ventilator. We can only hope that there are no fresh cases or casualties,"


The next day, March 18th, this article of the Administration mapping the area:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Pune-Municipal-Corporation-maps-areas-to-stem-spread-of-H1N1/articleshow/12312514.cms
Excerpts:
The administration has undertaken mapping of all areas where H1N1 patients were detected so far.
"We have enough stock of Tamiflu tablets. The screening of suspected patients is being undertaken at 47 PMC-run hospitals and 13 private hospitals in the city. All suspected patients are being administered Tamiflu doses. The civic body has set up a process to send the swabs of suspected patients to National Institute of Virology (NIV)," Bankar said.
The task of mapping suspected areas has been taken up and further steps will be planned on these observations. Schools have been issued instructions to keep a watch on students, said Bankar.
At present, five patients are critically ill in Pune district.
Seven people had tested positive on Friday.
In the last few months, seven people have died in the state which includes four deaths in Pune.



March 19th, they announced they would only be testing high risk patients for H1N1:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Now-H1N1-testing-only-for-high-risk-category-A-patients/articleshow/12321296.cms
Excerpt:
From Monday, only high risk patients with flu-like symptoms and those suffering from severe symptoms like breathlessness and high-grade fever (defined as category A) will be tested for swine flu infection in the city.
...Since the beginning of this month, the swine flu virus has infected a total of 34 people and claimed four lives.


March 20th: 10-15% rise in H1N1 cases in March; Mexico, US affected too
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/10-15-rise-in-H1N1-cases-in-March-Mexico-US-affected-too/articleshow/12337312.cms
Excerpt:
PUNE: Scientists at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) have seen 10 to 15% rise in swine flu cases in March. Incidentally, Mexico which reported the first case of swine flu infection in the world is also seeing an increase during this period since a pandemic shut down much of the country three years ago.

"There is a 'sudden and sharp' rise in the transmissibility of the swine flu virus this month. Usually, the virus transmission is not more than 1 or 2% during March. It is something unusual," A C Mishra, director, NIV told TOI on Monday.

Asked whether any significant mutation has taken place in the genetic make-up of the virus, he said, "Mutation in influenza virus is a continuous process. These are small changes in the virus that happen continually over time. There has been no harmful mutation detected so far. The virus is completely susceptible to Tamiflu. Its virulence level is also the same. Most who died of swine flu in the last six days had some other underlying medical condition."

There are 17,000 points in the genetic make of swine flu virus which are being mapped to find out mutation in the virus, Mishra said.



March 20th: 60-yr-old man dies; 5th death in six days
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/60-yr-old-man-dies-5th-death-in-six-days/articleshow/12337308.cms
Excerpts:
A 60-year old man from Maharshinagar died of swine flu at a city hospital on Monday,
"Paigude had other underlying illnesses like diabetes, hypertension and cardiaomyopathy," he added.
Shrirang Balasaheb Paigude had been in the isolation ICU of Poona Hospital and Research Centre (PHR) for the last three days.
"Around March 15, Paigude showed typical symptoms like mild fever, cough with expewctoration and developed mild breathlessness from March 17, following which he was admitted to PHRC at around 11.55 am. His became critical and he was put on ventilator support. Later his condition deteriorated following which he died," said Shyam Satpute, acting assistant medical officer of health
.


Onset: 3/15
Breathless: 3/17
DOD: 3/19


Remember the new testing standards, so these 23 would be in those Categories:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/23-more-people-test-positive-for-H1N1/articleshow/12348635.cms
Mar 21, 2012
As many as 23 people, including six children, tested positive for swine flu in the city on Tuesday, taking the total count of infected people to 63 since March 5.


One more H1N1 death, toll increases to six

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/One-more-H1N1-death-toll-increases-to-six/articleshow/12362330.cms
March 22, 2012
Excerpt:
"Sanjay Joshi, a resident of Sadashiv Peth, died at Sahyadri Hospital at 10 pm on March 19....Joshi developed symptoms of fever and cough on March 16. His condition worsened and he was admitted to Sahyadri Hospital around 11 am on March 19. He was put on ventilator support but died the same day.

Onset: 3/16
Adm: 3/19
DOD: 3/19



March 23rd:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/C-DAC-to-launch-software-to-help-spread-health-awareness/articleshow/12375280.cms
Excerpt:
The centre plans to install these software at airports, railways station and other such public places across the country.

Addressing a news conference here on Thursday, Rajat Moona, director general of the C-DAC, said, "iCare@Home is a preventive healthcare software which provides in-depth analysis of symptoms and healthcare advice. The product is targeted to create health awareness among individuals, both in urban and rural areas."



March 23rd:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/64-year-old-dies-of-swine-flu-in-Pimpri-Chinchwad/articleshow/12375296.cms
Excerpts:
The Pimpri-Chinchwad township registered the first swine flu death this season after a 64-year-old man from Thergaon succumbed to the infection on Wednesday.
Sardesai had been in the isolation ICU of the hospital for the last 10 days. He had tested positive on March 14. He had no other associated illness or co-morbid condition," said PCMC medical officer Milind Jawale.
After March 8, Sardesai developed typical symptoms like cough and fever. His condition worsened following which he was admitted to the Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital on March 11.

Onset: 3/8
Adm: 3/11
DOD: 3/21



March 24, 2012
One-year-old is eighth swine flu victim in Pune
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/One-year-old-is-eighth-swine-flu-victim-in-Pune/articleshow/12385925.cms
Excerpts:
The girl, Sania Rathod, of Vidyanagar in Chinchwad, died at the YCM hospital in Pimpri at 9.30 pm on March 21, ...
Sania developed fever and cough on March 18 and was admitted to a children's hospital at Chinchwad on March 21 after her condition worsened. "She was brought to YCM hospital at 7 pm the same day and immediately put on ventilator support. She died a couple of hours later," Jawale said.


Onset: 3/18
Adm: 3/21
DOD: 3/21

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