19-year-old Jammu boy dies of swine flu at SKIMS, toll reaches to12

Srinagar, Jan 16: A 19-year-old boy from Jammu died of swine flu at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura, taking the death toll to 12 this season.

A doctor at SKIMS told TNN that the teenage boy, who was suffering from leukemia—a cancer of the blood or bone marrow—had also tested positive for H1N1 flu.

“The patient died two days ago due to swine flu,” he said.

With his death, the death toll due to seasonal virus this year has risen to 12.

Of the 12 deaths, 10 deaths had taken place at SKIMS and two at SMHS hospital.

Medical Superintendent, SKIMS, Dr Farooq Jan said since September last year, 120 swine flu positive patients have visited the Institute’s outpatient department.

“Of the total H1N1 patients, 52 had been admitted till now in the hospital. Of them, 10 died. Currently, four swine flu patients are being treated at the isolation ward of the hospital,” he said.

At SMHS hospital one swine flu positive patient is admitted in the isolation ward.

“The patient is stable. We have not received any fresh case,” said Medical Superintendent SMHS, Dr Saleem Tak.

This seasons’ first death was reported at SKIMS in the first week of October when a man from Shopian died of H1N1 flu and the cases had started pouring in since then.