Assam swine flu toll at 2, MBBS intern found H1N1 positive

Swine flu has claimed its second victim in Assam while five persons have tested positive with a red alert sounded in the state, a senior health official said.
A 56-year-old PWD employee hailing from Jorhat's Tarajan died at a nursing home in Dibrugarh last night, state-run Jorhat Medical College Hospital Superintendent Dr Nitulpal Bhattacharya said today.
A 60-year-old man, an employee of the Jorhat District Treasury office, had died in Jorhat Medical College Hospital (JMCH) on Sunday night, Dr Bhattacharyya, who is monitoring the situation, said.
Among the five positive cases was an MBBS intern who has been kept under observation for seven days at the student sick room and she has almost recovered, he said.

But as per swine flu guidelines, she has to be kept under observation for seven more days, the Superintendent said.
In the wake of the deaths, and five persons having tested positive, the Health Department has sounded a red alert for the medical personnel to be vigilant against the spread of the H1N1 virus but urged the public not to panic, Dr Bhattacharya said.

He said the reports about four 'semi-positive cases' were awaited from Regional Medical Centre, Lahuwal in Dibrugarh district.
A special team of doctors, including eight specialised doctors and 24 trained nurses, have been kept ready along with medicines like Tamiflu tablets, etc., at the special 8-bedded isolation ward within the JMCH premises, he said.

All the staff, students and employees of JMCH were advised to use mouth masks in the premises and ordered not to leave station or go for leave until further orders.