Swine flu cases surge to 53 in Lucknow

LUCKNOW: Four new patients have been tested positive for swine flu in the city, taking the total number of cases to 53, a senior health official said today.

"Four new patients have been detected in the state capital. They are being treated in different hospitals, including PGI and medical university here," Chief Medical Officer S N S Yadav said.

With this, a total of 53 swine flu patients have been detected in Lucknow so far, he said.

A retired Army officer died of H1N1 virus on January 9, while the wife of a retired jawan died on January 13 in the state capital.

Meanwhile in Aligarh, the authorities at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) have set up an isolation ward in the wake of three confirmed cases of swine flu reported at the Medical College Hospital.

The alarm bells were rung two days ago after the death of a woman who had been admitted at the Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.

Principal of J N Medical College, Prof Tariq Mansoor, said there was no need for any unnecessary panic but all necessary precautionary steps are being taken to protect the Medical College staff.