16 people died due to swine flu in Himachal Pradesh this season: Vipin Parmar

Shimla: Sixteen people died due to swine flu in Himachal Pradesh this season, Health minister Vipin Parmar informed the state assembly on Tuesday. A total of 113 patients have so far been tested positive for the H1NI virus, he said, adding that 36 swine flu cases have been reported in Kangra district followed by 33 cases in Shimla.

At present, 21 swine flu patients are being treated at IGMC Shimla and eight in Tanda Medical College, Parmar said. In his statement soon after the Question Hour, he said most of the swine flu patients who had lost their lives were suffering from other ailments too.

Referring to the two deaths due to swine flu at the IGMC hospital on Monday, Parmar said one of the two people was 92 years old and was suffering from heart disease and acute infection. Similarly, the other person was diabetic and was suffering from kidney ailments and high blood pressure, he said.

Providing data of previous years, the health minister said 27 people had died due to swine flu in 2015, five in 2016, 15 in 2017 and two had died due to the influenza in 2018. Urging the public not to panic, the health minister said adequate arrangements have been made in the state hospitals to deal with the situation.