Tamil Nadu reports first H1N1 death, govt says no need for panic

Chennai: Tamil Nadu has reported its first swine flu death this year with a 53-year-old man succumbing to the H1N1 virus at a hospital here. Stepping in to allay fears, the state government said there was no need for panic as it was only a seasonal flu and not pandemic.

Srinivasan died of H1N1 (Swine flu) infection at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital on Monday and his body was handed over to his relatives on Tuesday.

"It is no more pandemic even according to the WHO. It is only a seasonal flu. We have adequate stocks of Tamiflu (Oseltamivir phosphate)," Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan told PTI.

On Srinivasan's death, he said the patient got himself admitted to a private hospital only after five days of high-grade fever.

"It was a case of late reporting. After getting himself admitted in a private hospital he got himself discharged suddenly and came to government hospital," he added.

Also, he had a travel history to Telangana, which was witnessing swine flu cases, he said.

"He had severe respiratory distress when he was admitted here. We provided all the requisite treatment as per the protocol. He died yesterday," Dean, Madras Medical College and RGGGH Dr R Vimala said.

The man was treated and various tests were done and the patient tested positive for H1N1.

Director of Public Health K Kulandaisamy said in most H1N1 cases, the death was not due to the virus alone. "Even the three patients who died to the infection last year in the state were predisposed to other illnesses," he said.

"It is about comorbid conditions, the presence of other illness which complicates and death is not due to the H1N1 infection alone," he said.