Delay in Accessing Treatment Increased Swine Flu Mortality Rate in Mumbai

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Mumbai, India, conducted an internal death audit to understand the reasons behind H1N1 mortality. The report shows that nearly half of the reported swine flu deaths in Mumbai took medical help after six days of the onset of the disease. A committee was set up to analyse the course of the treatment. Dr Mangala Gomare, Epidemiology cell in-charge, BMC, said, "Our committee had analysed 27 swine flu deaths and found that in 12 patients, the time lag between onset of infection and hospital admission was 6 days. Similarly, the time lag between onset of infection and treatment was also 5 days."

She added that it is very important to diagnose the disease at the earliest and take medical help. The BMC’s swine flu death analysis showed that out of 27 patients, 17 died within four days of their admission in hospital.

"During our analysis, we found that apart from the delay in taking medical help, a majority of them had secondary illness," she said. Diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, cancer, heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were the commonly reported ailments.

Dr. Gomare said that since secondary illness play a major role in mortality in swine flu cases, it has become important to spread awareness on the same. "People with secondary ailments need to be more vigilant, alert when it comes to diseases like H1N1. Survival rate improves if the treatment is started on time and there is no delay in diagnosis," said Dr Gomare.

Source-Medindia