Swine flu hits Mumbai again, two tested postive

Mumbai, Jun 29: The H1N1 scare is back again in Mumbai with two people already being tested positive.

Two people from the city were tested positive after the throat swabs of the affected were sent for testing at Haffkine institute. The affected are a three-year old girl and a 37-year-old woman from Chandivli.

“The swab samples of the woman and the child were sent from Nair Hospital and LH Hiranandani Hospital at Powai respectively. The positive report came in on Monday," said Dr Abhay Chowdary, director, Haffkine Institute.

Alarmed at the recurrence of the epidemic, the state health department held a meeting with experts to curb the problem.

"We have received samples from two city hospitals," he said.

"Tests were conducted in our Bio Safety level (BSL) 2 + labs, and the samples tested positive for the H1N1 virus. There is no use panicking, as the virus is here to stay," he said.

"It is an air-borne disease, and the weather is conducive to the multiplication and spread of the virus. There are bound to be more cases," he added.

Dr Chaudhary said that the epidemic was expected to become more active during the monsoon, thus increasing the number of swine flu patients.

“The two patients were treated on an outpatient basis. There was no need to isolate the patients as the virus is already in the air," said head of the epidemiology cell, BMC, Dr Daksha Shah.

She also said that the figure of swine flu cases in the city was less as compared to the year 2010.

OneIndia News