One more dies of H1N1 in Orissa, toll rises to three

BHUBANESWAR - The swine flu toll in Orissa rose to three Wednesday with the state government confirming the death of a 48-year-old man due to the H1N1 virus.

The man was admitted Sunday to a private hospital in Cuttack, 26 km from here, with flu-like symptoms.

“The hospital authorities sent his swabs for examination. Although the patient died late Monday, the swab report which came Tuesday evening found him positive for swine flu,” a senior state health official told IANS.

A 50-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman died of the disease in Bhubaneswar Sunday and Monday respectively.

At least four patients, who tested positive for the H1N1 virus during the last two weeks, were discharged from the hospitals after treatment. No fresh case was reported Tuesday, he said.

State Health Family Welfare Minister Prasanna Acharya said the government has taken adequate measures to deal with the situation. Screening and quarantine facilities were in place in all the government hospitals and leading private hospitals.

He said the state has adequate stock of medicines and protective equipments.