By Madhavi Rajadhyaksha & Chinmayi Shalya
Mumbai, India
He Had Mild Fever After Visiting Mexico
A 57–year–old Worli resident who recently returned from Mexico became the first Mumbaikar to be tested for the Influenza A (H1N1) infection – also known as swine flu–with state health officials sending samples of his throat swabs to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune on Sunday.
The state’s director general of health services, Dr D S Dakure, said they had sent the samples for testing as a precautionary measure.
The Worli case comes two days after a minor scare when a traveller from the UK was temporarily asked to wait at the airport for observation, but was allowed to fly later.
According to Dakure, the Worli resident had travelled to Mexico on April 23 and spent eight to 10 hours there before heading to New York. Mexico has reported 397 confirmed cases of human infection, including 16 deaths, according to the World Health Organisation’s reports as of Saturday.
“We do not suspect him to be a swine flu victim as he has already passed the incubation period for the infection. But we sent his samples as a precautionary measure,” said Dakure. The incubation period is three to seven days from the time the person could first be exposed to the infection to the time he shows syspmtoms. Sunday was the 12th day after the man had left Mexico.
The Worli resident returned to India on April 28 and complained of mild fever on Sunday morning. “His wife, who is a doctor, intimated the NICD (National Institute of Communicable Diseases), Delhi, following which we sent a doctor from Kasturba Hospital to his residence,” said Dakure.
State health officials said he wasn’t put under isolation as he was beyond the incubation period and didn’t carry the risk of transmission. They expect the test results to be ready in two days.
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