New Delhi:
The national capital has reported the second death due to swine flu this year with a 60-year-old woman succumbing to the H1N1 virus at a hospital while undergoing treatment.
The woman, hailing from Faridabad, was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Safdarjung Hospital on October 2.
"Her condition was critical and she was on ventilator since October 2. She tested positive for swine flu and was referred to our hospital from Fortis Escorts Hospital in Faridabad. She died last night," said Safdarjung medical superintendent Dr A K Rai.
Also, two men, aged 68 and 32 years and natives of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, were admitted to the ICU of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital where they are undergoing treatment since October 2.
"The patients are critical and have been on ventilator support," said a senior official from the hospital.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government has decided to double the number of hospitals beds to step up preparedness against H1N1 Influenza Virus (swine flu), which experts say will see a rise as temperature takes a dip.
Health Minister Satyendar Jain has directed that isolated wards in hospitals must be kept in a state of readiness and number of beds be doubled, said an official.
The Health department has already stocked more than one lakh capsules and syrups of Oseltamivir Tamiflu/Fluvir and if required, more can be purchased, officials said.
Swine flu had assumed epidemic proportions last season and continued till mid-April this year afflicting over 4,259 people and claiming 12 lives in the city.