Hyderabad: Two patients died while undergoing treatment for swine flu at Gandhi Hospital. One of them had been rushed to the hospital on January 11 evening and underwent treatment, but died of acute respiratory attack.
Senior doctors at Gandhi explained, “Some patients are coming with a very heavy viral load and badly damaged lungs. This is leading to further complications and organ failures leading to death.”
A senior health official said, “In most of the private hospitals, to improve the lung functioning, a treatment called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is given. Those who come with severely damaged lung condition survive but it has worked only some cases.”
The total number of swine flu deaths stands at 11 in the state in January. There are 12 persons undergoing treatment at Gandhi Hospital, of which six are children. The total number of cases in January is 150 cases.
Experts state that due to the dip in night temperatures, the virus is strong and continues to affect those who are immune-compromised.
According to doctors, a few preventive steps will go a long way in checking the spread of the disease.
