Pune: Health authorities in Pune are still trying to piece together how 14-year-old Reeda Sheikh got the H1N1 virus. Attempts are on to retrace her steps, the only possible suspects so far are two clinics she visited prior to her July 21st infection.
"We got tested because we had no symptoms. They only gave us precautions. Everybody in our house got precautions. None of our children had any kind of symptoms," said Ayesha Sheikh, Reeda Sheikh's aunt.
So, how did Reeda contract the H1N1 virus?
Over 24 hours after her death still there are no clear answers.
Her mother and her cousin sister who were most exposed to her and showed flu like symptoms tested negative.
Health authorities are now tracking down Reeda's every movement over the eight day prior to 20th July when she first showed swine flu symptoms.
The strongest possibility so far appears to be that she may have contracted the infection when she consulted two doctors, a general practitioner and a paediatrician.
One of the two had received a patient who tested positive a week before Reeda visited the clinic.
Reeda: The clue hunt
- Reeda's movement being tracked
- Movement between 13th -- 21st July
- Strongest possibility: Two medical clinics
"Now we can look whether from those on the day that she went, whether there were any positive cases," said Dr Ravindra Katti.
All the children other than Reeda who have been affected are from another part of the city in Deccan's camp area.
How the pandemic spread
- The flu arrived there on the 4th of July when 40 students returned to India from an exchange program in the US
- Of the 40, eight students entered Pune on two flights: Spicejet and Kingfisher
- Five students of the eight, all of whom were on the Spicejet flight, tested positive for swine flu
- Of these five, one is being called the index case
- He spread to his younger brother who is a student of Abhinav Vidyalaya
- That boy in turn spread it to other kids from his own school and other schools (Bal Shikshan Mandir English School, New India School, Annasaheb Patil Prashala, Symbiosis, Springdales, Vikhe Patil School, Vidya Valley, New English School)
- Children who were in the same class as the boy, others who shared the auto-rickshaw or went to the same tuition class were infected but those students and schools were isolated in the Deccan area of Pune - about 20 kilometers from where Reeda lived making the chances of her contracting it from them minimal
Also being looked into are the children Reeda interacted with in her tuition classes in those eight days. Also public places that Reeda may have visited, her case has clearly left the doctors searching for clues.
The clue hunt
- Affected children not from Reeda's area
- Less chance of her getting it from them
- Children Reeda interacted with being examined
- Public places visited by Reeda
For health authorities here isolating the cause of Reeda's infection is critical as it will help establish who else may have come in contact with the girl and ensure they get the attention needed.