A Mulund resident tested positive for H1N1 virus, a few days after it was detected in her 6-yr-old grandson.(TOI Photo)
MUMBAI: Another Mulund resident tested positive for the H1N1 virus on Friday, a few days after it was detected in her six-year-old grandson. While they are the first two H1N1 cases this year after a lull of nine months, it could indicate that the dreaded virus is back in circulation in the city.
Executive health officer Dr Anil Bandivadekar said both were in a "stable condition".
"The child has been discharged from hospital, while the grandmother is at home, and has been started on Tamiflu," he said, adding that they had symptoms of cold and fever, following which doctors referred them for tests.
Bandivadekar said both patients had not traveled to Pune, ruling out the possibility of contracting the virus from there. H1N1 has claimed five lives and affected 95 people in Pune in March. "Protocols are clearly in place. We are alert and equipped to tackle any situation ," he said.
He added that unlike 2009, when the pandemic broke out and the antiviral Oseltamivir was scarce, it is now available even with chemists.
The civic authorities said specialists and general physicians have to keep treatment protocols in mind. Testing, as experts say, should be restricted only to high-risk patients suffering from flu-like illnesses, besides severe symptoms like breathlessness, high-grade fever (above 100F), chest pain and drowsiness (in children).
State epidemiologist Pradip Awate said unless the patient is very serious and requires hospitalization , isolation and timely administering of the antiviral should be adequate. State guidelines state patients with mild symptoms like below 100F fever, cough and cold, should take regular medicines.
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