One more H1N1 suspect admitted to NBMCH

Statesman News Service

SILIGURI/MALDA, 14 AUG: Another suspected Swine Flu patient, hailing from Pune, was admitted at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital this evening, raising the number of patients admitted at the hospital to four since the outbreak of the disease. However, the second patient, admitted at the medical college on Wednesday, Mr Kartik Barman, tested negative as per the report received from a Kolkata-based pathology centre.

According to Dr Rudra Narayan Bhattacharya, the nodal officer, NBMCH Swine Flu preventive unit, the name of the patient admitted today is Dr Debaji Samadhan (29), a resident of Pune.

“He is associated with the World Health Organization-sponsored polio alleviation programme. He worked in Bihar for some time. He fell ill today with high fever and cough. We admitted him at the quarantine ward. He is being kept under close observance,” he said.

Prof Bhattacharya further said that Mr Kartik Barman, admitted on Wednesday with Swine Flu like symptoms, today tested negative according to the report received from the WHO-recognised pathology centre in Kolkata.

“However, the condition of the third patient admitted last evening Mr Kamal Basnit from Rangpo, Sikkim, remains grave. The swab test report is likely to reach us tomorrow,” Prof Bhattacharya said.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Mr Partho Chatterjee today alleged in Siliguri that the NBMCH lacked adequate infrastructure to take on the Swine Flu challenge. “The infrastructure might collapse if the Flu challenge turns grim,” he said.

In another development, the Malda chief medical officer (health) Dr Srikanta Roy has sent special instructions to all block medical officers (BMOH), health, on handling suspected Swine Flu cases.

The BMOHs have been asked to keep special vigilance over influenza-afflicted patients who had just returned from the Swine Flu-hit states.

“They have been asked to send such patients to the district hospital for reexamination, observation and collection of samples for laboratory tests”, said Dr. Roy. The district health department has also issued guidelines for those down with high fever.

Mr Noor Islam, the only suspected Swine Flu patient in the district, is being kept at the quarantine ward. “The throat swab has been sent to Kolkata for H1N1 virus confirmation,” said Dr Roy.

Arrest

MALDA, 14 AUG: Police arrested Jahangir Bosni from Sujapur under Kaliachak PS this evening in connection with the recovery of improvised explosive devises from the district last month. Bosni is believed to be an associate of Jahagir Momin, the kingping of the racket dealing in IEDs. ;SNS

Truant patient

MALDA, 14 AUG: The Malda district hospital authority lodged an FIR against an absconding fever patient today. According to the hospital sources, Mr Anikul Sheikh (18), a resident of Sujapur under Kaliachak police station, left the hospital without a discharge certificate today. ;SNS

Blockade

MALDA, 14 AUG: Transport operators blocked the state highway at Madhya-Kendua in Habibpur, protesting against extortion today. The locals were extorting money in the name of some puja, they alleged. ;SNS