Girls death not entirely due to swine flu?

CHENNAI: Though 22-year-old Niveditha has been listed as the second victim of the H1N1 virus in the state, senior health officials have indicated that there are some inconsistencies that were reported with her case. The post-graduate student from Villupuram developed high fever on March 30 and was taken to the Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on April 2, for treatment. After she exhibited symptoms of swine flu, doctors there took a swab and sent it for testing to JIPMER on April 6. “Two days before that, they started her on tamiflu on the suspicion that she had the disease,” explained Director of Public Health, RT Porkai Pandian, while seeking to paint a clearer picture.Even before the test results were out, she was brought to a private hospital in Chennai, while on a ventilator, as she had some serious respiratory complications. “Her test results from Puducherry returned on April 9 and said that she had tested positive for AH1N1. So, we intimated the hospital in Chennai,” said another well-placed official in the Health Department. Though she was on a ventilator, doctors treated her for swine flu even as they sent another throat swab to the King Institute. However, that test had apparently returned negative late last week, much to the doctors befuddlement. “They went ahead and treated her on the assumption that she had the disease, but her respiratory condition worsened and she passed away on Monday (April 16),” he explained.