LAHORE/MULTAN: Another suspected patient of H1N1 died at the Nishtar Hospital Multan on Thursday.

The deceased, Aniga, was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of the seasonal influenza. Her samples had been sent for clinical analysis.

This was second such death at Nishtar in two days.

Sadia Farhan, 28, of Jaleelabad had died of H1N1 on Wednesdayafter remaining under treatment in the hospital for about a week. She was pregnant.

Briefing a meeting on the seasonal influenza at the Civil Secretariat in the provincial capital on Thursday, Director General Health Dr Amjad Shehzad said a pregnant woman had died of seasonal influenza H1N1 while five cases were reported in Punjab in the first week of the new year.

He said two deaths had occurred by H1N1 flu virus in 2015 while 19 cases were reported across the province.

Dr Shehzad said the pregnant H1N1 patient who had died at the Nishtar Hospital had earlier got treatment at a gynecologist`s clinic for eight to 10 days. He said safetydresses had already been provided to the doctors and nurses carrying out treatment of swine flu patients.

The DG health said 15,000 tamiflu tablets had been supplied to all hospitals concerned in Punjab for the treatment of H1N1 patients while an additional stock of 32,000 tablets was also available to meet any growing demand.

Communicable Disease Control Director Health Dr Habibur Rehman said tests of family and other members of all the fresh influenza patients were conducted and they were found negative. He said 10 tamiflu tablets were used for the treatment of an influenza patient.

Health Secretary Najam Ahmed Shah asked the director general health to start bulk SMS system forthe guidance and awareness of the government doctors and general practitioners by establishing a cell forthepurposeinthe Communicable Disease Control Department.

Mr Shah sought a detailed survey of the areas where H1N1 patients were reported for eradication of the disease.

Adviser on Health Khwaja Salman Rafique, Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Ali Jan Khan and Health Deputy Secretary Dr Nasir Shakir also attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Multan District Coordination Officer (DCO) Zahid Saleem Gondal has claimed that no swine flu or bird flu patient hasthe guidance and awareness of the government doctors and general practitioners by establishing a cell forthepurposeinthe Communicable Disease Control Department.

Mr Shah sought a detailed survey of the areas where H1N1 patients were reported for eradication of the disease.

Adviser on Health Khwaja Salman Rafique, Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Ali Jan Khan and Health Deputy Secretary Dr Nasir Shakir also attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Multan District Coordination Officer (DCO) Zahid Saleem Gondal has claimed that no swine flu or bird flu patient has been reported in the district and there are no chances of spread ofthe both diseases.

He was presiding over a meeting of various departments, including the health department, to review any possibility of outbreak of both diseases.

`Seasonal influenza H1N1 has been declared in the blood reports of the patients who have been admitted to the Nishtar Hospital while no birds have been found infected with the bird flu virus in the serum samples collected by the livestock department from various locations of the district,` he said.

Mr Gondal said seven suspected cases of seasonal influenza H1N1 were reported from the district during last few days out of which the results of three cases were positive.

He added the seasonal influenza was a treatable disease and a huge quantity of its antiviral drug `tamiflu` was available with the district government.

He said special training of the doctors of Nishtar Hospital was conducted and a ward in the hospital had been allocated for the patients of seasonal influenza, adding that three H1N1 patients were admitted to special ward and they were being provided the best treatment facilities.

`A special medical board, headed by a senior professor, has constituted to diagnose the disease,` the DCO concluded.