New Delhi: The family of a 50-year-old woman, who succumbed to swine flu in Amritsar, has blamed the doctors and the hospital, holding them responsible for negligence.
The victim succumbed to the deadly virus soon after she was brought to a government hospital for treatment.
"My mother had got a fever a week back and tests showed that she was suffering from typhoid. A specialist doctor gave her the medicine for it. She did not go anywhere out and stayed indoors only and still she got the infection," said the victim's son, Surdeep Singh.
He added that the doctors at the government hospital were lax in conducting tests and the family was initially told that because the samples had not taken correctly, the tests could not be conducted.
Singh further claimed that after an hour of his mother's death the doctors told them the reports showed her positive for the deadly virus and the hospital did not have the requisite measures in place as claimed by the government.
However, Civil Surgeon, Amritsar Dr Ajeet Bhalla refuted these allegations and said the patient was given proper care.
"There was no negligence on part of the government doctors. As long as she was in the hospital, she was under proper treatment in medical college. She was shifted here around 4 pm and unfortunately she died at 5 pm," said Dr Bhalla said.
Swine flu is caused by H1N1 virus. The H1N1 symptoms are similar to those produced by other influenza viruses - fever, cough, sore throat, body aches and respiratory problems.
With the number of swine flu cases rising in the country, doctors have advised people to avoid crowded places.
