Chhattisgarh logged 288 swine flu cases so far this year; one death

As many as 288 persons have tested positive for swine flu so far this year in Chhattisgarh with most of the cases reported in the last two-and-half months, health officials said on Saturday.

While one death has been reported due to the H1N1 influenza virus, eight other swine flu patients died of comorbidities, they said.

However, officially, only one fatality is treated as due to the H1N1 influenza virus.

In view of the sudden rise in swine-flu cases, Chief Minister Bhupesh Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday directed the state health secretary to hold a meeting of health officials to review the situation and make necessary arrangements, they said.

A total of 288 patients have been tested positive for swine flu till Friday since January 1 in the state. As of Friday, there were 74 actives cases and these patients are admitted in different hospitals, said Dr Subhash Mishra, Director of state's Epidemic Control.

A 46-year-old man from Raipur died due to the H1N1 virus last month, while eight more swine flu patients died due to comorbidities, he said.

Raipur district is leading the tally where so far 168 cases have been reported followed by 32 in Durg, 14 in Bilaspur, 11 in Rajnandgaon, 9 in Raigarh, and Balodabazar and Dhamtari with eight cases each.

Six cases were recorded each in Bastar and Mahasamund, four in Janjgir-Champa, three each in Kanker and Gariyaband, while two cases were reported each from Dantewada, Mungeli, Sarguja, Bemetara, and one each from Balod, Kawardha, Jashpur, Koriya, Surajpur, Balrampur, Sukma and Bijapur.

With a sudden spike in the cases in the last two months, the chief minister directed the health secretary to immediately chair a meeting with officials to review the situation and take preventive measures, officials added.