Doctor contracts swine flu in Chandigarh

CHANDIGARH - A resident doctor of the leading Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here tested positive for influenza A (H1N1) virus, a health official said Sunday.

The 27-year-old doctor of the paediatrics department was residing in the doctors complex of PGIMER and his samples were collected Saturday morning for tests.

The patient was exhibiting symptoms of swine flu like sore throat, high fever and running nose. We had sent his throat and nasal swab samples in the virology lab of PGIMER yesterday (Saturday) and his reports have come positive, the health official said.

The patient is undergoing treatment and has been administered Tamiflu. His condition is stable and there is nothing to worry. We are also checking the condition of those people who were in direct contact with him,” he added.

Last week also, a senior resident doctor of PGIMER was tested positive for swine flu.

So far, over a dozen doctors and other medical staff were reported to have been suffering from H1N1 in this city — seven of these cases are from PGIMER alone.

Till now, over 250 suspected cases of swine flu have been reported in Chandigarh hospitals, of which 51 tested positive. Two casualties, one each in Chandigarh and its neighbouring town Mohali, were reported till now.

In Chandigarh, testing facility for this virus is available at the virology department of PGIMER, which is catering to the needs of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.