kolkata: The state Health department has alerted all the district health officials and the medical colleges after a patient died of swine flu in the city. Beliaghata ID Hospital has been announced as a nodal centre for treating swine flu patients with a fresh apprehension that many more can be infected.
The medical colleges have been asked to strengthen surveillance and to report to the department if swine flu patients are found. The worry for the health officials is the timing as the Covid third wave may hit the state.
The first swine flu death of the year was reported at Beliaghata ID Hospital last week. It has also raised concern among the doctors as they assume that many more can be reported in the due course. According to hospital sources, the deceased woman was initially admitted at a nursing home in Phoolbagan, where swine flu was confirmed. The patient was later shifted to Beliaghata ID Hospital, when her health condition deteriorated. She had complained of low oxygen saturation and kept on BiPap.
The Beliaghata ID Hospital also urged the Health department to open a separate unit for swine flu patients. Some suspected swine flu patients are currently undergoing treatment at the Beliaghata ID Hospital.
A non-Covid ICU of the hospital is being used for treating suspected swine flu patients. Considering the proposal of the hospital, the Health department has given it final clearance.
"It may turn fatal if swine flu cases coincide with the third wave of Covid. The common symptoms of swine flu are cough, sneezing, body ache, fever. There are some symptoms common with that of Covid," said a senior pathologist.