India's first Swine Flu patient shows improvement

Hyderabad, May 17 (ANI): Doctors at the Chest Hospital in Hyderabad have declared that the symptoms of India's first confirmed swine flu patient have come down after he started receiving medication.

Doctors at the Swine Flu Isolation Ward said the hospital was taking every precaution to ensure that the H1N1 virus does not spread any further, and that there is no need for the general public to panic.

"The patient was isolated here from the 13th of this month. After knowing this result, we have started giving him anti-viral drug, commercially available with different companies like Tamiflu, Antiflu. In fact the symptoms have come down," said Dr. Sudhakar, In-charge, Swine Flu Isolation Ward, Chest Hospital, Hyderanad.

On Saturday, Union Health Ministry had confirmed the first case of H1N1 flu in Hyderabad.

The H1N1 affected patient has been identified as a 23-year-old passenger who arrived at the Hyderabad International airport on May 13 from the United States.

According to the health ministry officials, the identified person's sample was sent to a testing lab in New Delhi, which tested positive for influenza A (H1N1).

Meanwhile, his co-passengers are also being tracked down. The World Health Organization has been alerted about the case.

Some 7,500 people have been infected with the influenza strain that is a mixture of swine, bird and human viruses. H1N1 flu has so far claimed 65 lives in 34 countries, according to the WHO. (ANI)