Zee Media Bureau
Mumbai: With swine flu tightening its grip in the country, a 3-year-old boy has succumbed to the disease in Mumbai, becoming the first paediatric death and the seventeenth victim due to H1N1 virus in the city.
The child was admitted to a Children hospital in the city, but was shifted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on February 3 for treatment. However, the boy succumbed late on Thursday evening.
“He died of respiratory failure. He had acute respiratory distress syndrome and bilateral pneumonia complications related to swine flu,” Dr Mangala Gomare, in-charge of BMC's epidemiology cell, was quoted as saying.
The state of Maharashtra is among the top five states in the country that is witnessing the highest number of swine flu deaths.
Doctors have cautioned that people falling in the high-risk category should avoid going to crowded places and public gathering as chances of their catching infection are very high.
According to Health Ministry, the total number of deaths due to swine flu has reached 1,005, while the number of those affected was 18,105 till Friday.