Avila Student Confirmed H1N1 Virus
An 11-year-old school girl and a 37-year-old employee in Dubai, who came on a vacation to his native here, are the latest victims of the H1N1 virus in Coimbatore. Till now, five cases of infection by the virus have been reported in Coimbatore while the test results of another six patients with symptoms of the flu are awaited. The Class V1 student of Avila Convent at Sai Baba Colony, who has been suffering from fever and respiratory problem for the last one week, tested positive for HINI virus on Saturday, the deputy director of health, Dr Vijayalakhsmi confirmed. The school girl is under quarantine at her house in Sai Baba Colony and is being “closely monitored” by her mother who is a medical doctor. “Her fever has subsided and her condition is better,” the official said.However, her test results have come as a surprise to the medical officers at the Coimbatore Government Medical College as the school girl neither travelled abroad nor came into contact with anyone who returned from a foreign country. “She has had no history of any contact with anyone with symptoms of HINI virus,” said the CMCH resident medical officer, Dr P Sivaprakasam. As her parents too were sceptical about her test results, her blood samples and throat swab were sent again to King Institute in Chennai for “reconfirmation”. Nonetheless, the girl has been put on Tamiflu treatment for the HINI virus.
“The school where the girl studies will be alerted and her classmates with symptoms of fever would be tested for HINI virus,” the deputy director said. However, when contacted, Avila Convent principal said “we have no idea” about the school girl testing positive for HINI virus. “Our school is closed today and we will know only when the school reopens next week,” the principal said. Meanwhile, the flow of patients with HINI symptoms continued unabated at the CMCH with two girls from the PSG College of Arts and Science and a 31-year-old man, who returned from Dubai this afternoon, giving their blood samples and throat swab for HINI tests. The PSG college students, who had gone on an industrial visit to Kochi a fortnight ago, developed high fever on Saturday.
