13 March,2015 11:12 PM IST | | Sadaguru Pandit
Four people died of swine flu and 67 people tested positive in Mumbai hospitals on Friday
Friday the 13th proved to be a painful day for Mumbaikars with four people dying of swine flu and 67 people testing positive in Mumbai hospitals.
The death toll in the city has now climbed up to 28, with nine residents of the city and 19 patients who had come to the city for treatment.
Since January 19, 1072 Mumbaikars have been tested positive with H1N1 virus.
A 61-year-old woman from Dongari lost her life at Habib Hospital. She had been admitted to Saboo Siddique Hospital on March 6. She succumbed to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) along with multiple internal ailments.
The three other patients who were bought to the city hospital for treatment were a 47-year-old woman from Badlapur, a 58-year-old male from Alibaug and a 34-year-old female from Koparkhairane, all of whom succumbed to the virus.
Out of the 69 patients who have tested positive for H1N1 on March 13, 21 were admitted to city hospitals, while the rest were being treated on OPD basis. The patients admitted to the hospitals are said to be stable.
While nine Mumbaikars have died due to H1N1, 19 patients, who had come to the city for treatment, have lost their lives till date.
Talking to mid-day on whether the change in climate would impact the number of patients, Dr Om Shrivastava, Head of Infectious Diseases cell, Jaslok Hospital, said that the virus that is known to survive in cold and damp temperatures is causing illness even in the relatively humid climate.
"There is no scientific proof to establish that the virus has gone through a mutation but certainly there is some genetic change that is helping the virus to sustain in this climate. Hopefully the ordeal will soon be over," said Shrivastava.
