Another death ups swine flu worry

A construction worker died of swine flu at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) early yesterday, raising the number of fatalities to two.
Doctors clinically diagnosed 20-year-old Abdus Sobhan Sagar a swine flu victim, four days after the country’s first death at a city hospital.
“Sagar turned up to the swine flu ward with high fever and severe respiratory problem, signs of swine flu,” said Prof Dr Quazi Tarikul Islam, in charge of the ward.
Considering symptoms and other epidemiological links, he said, “Sagar died of swine flu.”
“We cannot say for sure as he was not tested H1N1 positive,” he said, adding: ‘they did not get time to have his blood samples examined.’
Sagar had been suffering from high fever and breathing problems for the last three to four days, his father Mohammed Hanif Shikder said.
At least 38 are now taking swine flu treatment at city’s different hospitals, of the total 281 cases.
The DMCH swine flu ward is nursing eight patients with symptoms, of them one was tested H1N1 positive.
Others, admitted at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Infectious Diseases Hospital, Uttara Adhunik Medical College Hospital, Holy Family Red Crescent Hospital, and Shahabuddin Medical College Hospital, were not tested as the government’s Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) stopped testing suspects saying only referred cases will be tested.
But, in reality IEDCR was not collecting samples from the referred cases.
“The hospitalised patients should be tested,” said an on-duty doctor at the flu ward requesting anonymity.
“Only IEDCR officials can collect the samples as the procedure is very special,” he said, adding, but they are not taking the samples.
IEDCR director Prof Mahmudur Rahman yesterday said, from today (Saturday) we will collect samples of the swine flu suspects from DMCH and National Institute of Chest Diseases to keep a record of the virus.
Quoting the guideline of the World Health Organisation (WHO), IEDCR Director said as the flu had spread widely there was no need now for any individual test.
“Rather than wasting time, the patients should be provided with symptomatic treatment and anti-viral drugs in cases of respiratory problems,” he said.
Talking with The Independent health minister Dr A F M Ruhal Haque said, “Contagious strain of H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu virus, has replaced seasonal flu virus H3N2 in the country, though mild in nature.”
“It is not essential to do test. We can start treatment with the symptom,” he said.
“Only two per cent of the people infected with swine flu require anti-viral drugs while one percent might need intensive care,” he said.
It is yet to be proved fatal as most patients with swine flu are recovering, he added.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Shah Munir Hossain yesterday held a meeting with the members of the Bangladesh Society of Medicine (BSM) and formulated an uniform protocol for treating swine flu patients.
The meeting categorised swine flu patients into three based on symptoms.  “Patients in the ‘A’ category will stay at home with usual flu treatment, ‘B’ will also stay at home but will receive anti-viral and severe category ‘C’ will be hospitalised,” he said.
“Within 48 hours, BSM will publish booklets based on the new guidelines, he also said, adding, a committee has been formed in this regard.
The meeting stressed the need for better dissemination of information about swine flu to ensure people in both urban and rural areas get proper treatment and take simple measures to curb the spread of the virus.
However, when contacted in the evening, IEDCR failed to give any information about the new swine flu cases.
Officials have said the virus was now being transmitted at higher rates within the country but there was no cause for panic.

Courtesy of The Independent