12-year-old girl dies in first flu death in Punjab

Punjab registered its first swine flu death today when a 12-year-old school girl from
Ambala fell victim to the virus.

"The girl from Ambala, Harshita, is the first death case reported in Punjab," nodal officer H C Gera said.

The girl had been brought to Chandigarh from Ambala on September 25 and admitted to a hospital here, Gera said, adding she died today.

The throat swab sample of the girl, who was a student of Chaman Vatika Public School in Ambala, tested positive for the virus the next day, he said.

"She was immediately put on medicines and ventilator support," he added.

A team of doctors of Ambala Health Department are examining those students and teachers who came in close contact with the infected student.

Gera said that so far 35 persons had been found positive for H1N1 virus in the city.

The swab samples of the girl's younger sister, who studies in the same school, had also been collected for tests.

The girl, who was a hostler, was first taken to a nursing home in Ambala for check up which referred her to an ENT specialist. Her parents were later asked to take her to Chandigarh, where she was admitted to a private hospital.