City journalist has swine flu after trip to Australia

“She got herself admitted to the special ward on Saturday. Her throat swabs had been sent to the National Institute of Virology ,” said Dr Pradeep Awate heading the state health department’s influenza cell.

“She had no fever when she arrived. Now she is on Tamiflu,” said Dr Umesh Aigal,medical superintendent at Kasturba Hospital’s Infectious Disease Hospital.

“On her return on Friday she went to her city home. The next day her mother came from Goa and took her to Bhatia Hospital,” said Dr Awate.

State health officials have listed her contacts since June 19. Her mother and another woman,who accompanied the journalist to Australia,will be quarantined at home for some days. The state rapid response team and a BMC team will screen them and give them Tamiflu if required.

The first swine flu patient,an engineer back from the US,is recuperating. His family,friends,office colleagues and doctor have all been quarantined at their homes.

Yet another suspect,a 24 year-old man who had returned from the US and the UK on Thursday,has shown possible symptoms and has been quarantined at Naidu Hospital in Pune. “His throat swabs have been sent to NIV,” said Dr Awate.

A 24 year-old man from Byculla,who had got himself admitted to Kasturba after a recent trip to Chandigarh,Amritsar and Delhi,has tested negative.

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