Swine flu claims third victim, Faridabad woman dies at RML

A 44-year-old woman from Faridabad became the third victim of H1N1 influenza in the Capital early Tuesday morning.

The patient, Usha Jain, succumbed to the viral infection at RML Hospital after suffering three cardiac arrests, doctors said.

Jain was referred to RML Hospital from a private hospital in Faridabad on Friday (August 21), her family members have informed.

“The patient passed away this morning after her condition deteriorated rapidly — she has been tested positive for H1N1 influenza,” RML Hospital’s medical superintendent Dr N K Chaturvedi said. Jain was admitted with symptoms of fever, breathlessness and joint pain, according to RML Hospital doctors.

A source in the hospital said Jain’s condition was critical since the day she was admitted. “She was on ventilator support since the first day,” the source said. “She had suffered three cardiac arrests and her blood pressure could not be maintained at normal level despite medication.”

Though she did not fall in the ‘high-risk’ category, doctors said Jain’s condition did not improve as she was on steroids to control her arthritis. “She did not have underlying diseases but her immunity was low due to the steroids she was taking to control arthritis,” said Dr R P Vashisht, the Delhi government’s nodal officer for H1N1.

Hospital authorities said Jain had not undergone any medication even eight days after the first symptoms of swine flu, and that led to complications. “She went to a private hospital for medication — that, too, at the last minute when her condition had worsened,” Dr Chaturvedi said.