Mannargudi woman, 47, dies of H1N1 in Mahatma Gandhi memorial government hospital

TRICHY: A 47-year-old woman from Mannargudi in Tiruvarur district died of H1N1 at Mahatma Gandhi memorial government hospital (MGMGH) here in the early hours of Tuesday.

Kalavathy, who had tested positive for H1N1 at a private lab in Trichy , was declared dead at the isolation ward of the hospital.

Sources said that the woman was admitted to MGMGH in the evening on November 16.“She had already undergone treatment in some other hospital for H1N1. Since her condition worsened, she was taken to our hospital a couple of days ago in the final stage. We gave her whatever treatment was available to cure her but she didn’t survive,” dean of MGMGH K Vanithamani told TOI. The family members decided to take her body for funeral to Mannargudi but the public health department officials in Trichy denied them permission to avoid possible infection to those handling the body. The funeral was performed at Oyamaari crematorium in Trichy city in the morning.

A public health department officer in Tiruvarur district said the woman was down with fever since November 12 and test results showed she had contracted H1N1. The woman was admitted to a private hospital in Trichy but the treatment was not effective. As her condition turned serious, the woman was shifted to MGMGH. Taking a serious view of the issue, the public health department in Mannargudi conducted a sanitation drive in the area where Kalavathy was residing.

Her family members and neighbours were given prognosis treatment to prevent them from being infected. Sources said that the woman could have contracted the fever during her trip to Trichy recently.