Ms Suza A., a resident of Kalyan Nagar, succumbed to H1N1 influenza at Columbia Asia Hospital on March 27. With this, the death toll due to H1N1 in 2012 rose to three in Karnataka.
The H1N1 flu, which had created panic in the State during 2009-10, seems to have been sporadically surfacing this year as well. The earlier two deaths were reported from Victoria Hospital, where Marappa (45), hailing from Chikkaballapur died on March 3, and the other, Shanta (22) of the city, died at Deepak Hospital on February 22.
As per the State Health and Family Welfare Department records, from January 1 till date, the State has registered 71 positive cases of H1N1 from across the State, with a maximum of 59 cases from Bengaluru alone. Four cases are from Kolar, two from Shimoga and one from Chikkabalapur.
However, the number of deaths due to H1N1 seem to have come down in the last one year. Dr Chandrappa Malaji, Joint Director, Communicable Diseases told Deccan Chronicle: “The number of H1N1 positive cases as well as deaths seem to have drastically come down. During 2009-10, more than 100 deaths were registered due to H1N1 in the State, and in 2011, there were only 14 deaths."
“The government has enough stock of Tamiflu tablets, there is no reason to panic. Only thing is people need to be a little careful. A high-level meeting of the Health department was held a few days ago and to chalk out preventive plans”, he added.
When asked about the government's prepatory measures, Dr Malaji said: “We are calling for a meeting of medical superintendents of all the private hospitals in a day or two, who would in turn guide their staff about the do’s and dont's and how it can be categorized according to the severity of the case. We will be finalizing the drug stores where Tamiflu will be easily available.”