India swine flu toll rises to 14 with two more deaths

Nashik/Pune/New Delhi, Aug. 12 (ANI): A doctor and a 29-year-old woman succumbed to the deadly swine flu virus in Nashik and Pune respectively on Wednesday taking the country's' swine flu death toll to 14.

In Nashik, 38-year-old doctor Rupesh Gangurde died at the Nashik Civil Hospital at around 2:30 a.m. this morning.

In Pune, Shrawani Deshpande died due to bilateral pneumonia following severe lung infection caused by the H1N1 virus at around the same time. 2:30 a.m.

Deshpande, a resident of Kothrud area, died at the Sasoon General Hospital.

On Tuesday, a 62-year old Thane woman and a Vadodara girl had succumbed to the deadly virus.

Shahida Abdul Aziz from Pune was admitted to the Noor Hospital in Bhaikhala and a (H1N1) virus was detected in her body only after her death.

In Vadodara, the girl fell prey to the flu, taking Gujarat's toll to two.

Meanwhile, doctors in New Delhi have been observing the nature of HINI virus to contain the mortality rate of the disease, Randeep Guleria, professor of medicine said.

"It is a self limiting disease so even if it spreads to the community, most people will become alright without treatment. Our aim should not be from containment point of view but to pick up the higher risk people and those who have higher chance of dying and treat them so that the death rate is low," Dr. Guleria.

Dr. Guleria also said they are observing the nature of the virus and until it changes its form, it is not a serious concern.

"Serious concern is not there as far as the mortality is concerned. But number of cases will increase. People need to be told that they need not worry. We need to observe it very closely and do good surveillance," Dr. Guleria, added.

With the increasing number of swine flu cases, the Central Government has unveiled fresh measures to control the spread of disease by allowing private labs to conduct tests and private hospitals to provide treatment. (ANI)