Delhi confirms first case of swine flu

New Delhi: Two fresh cases of swine flu were reported in India on Sunday taking the total number of confirmed people infected with the virus to 10, health officials said.

Those who tested positive for influenza A (H1N1) include a 25-year-old man who sat in close proximity to a techie who had returned from the US on May 31 with the infection.

"The man travelled with the techie by British Airways flight BA 277 on May 31. All his close contacts are being traced and would be quarantined," said a health ministry official.

Of the 10 cases, seven are from Hyderabad, which also reported the first case in the country on May 16.

A 35-year-old man who reached Delhi from New York on June 2 has also tested positive for the flu.

"He developed flu like symptoms two days after reaching Delhi and tested positive for it. The man is on home quarantine and his contacts have been provided with medicine," the official added.

The 28-year-old techie who arrived from Philadelphia on May 31 had gone home after his arrival at the airport. He later developed high fever and approached the Chest Hospital in Hyderabad on June 2. The next day he tested positive for H1N1 influenza.

India reported its first swine flu infection on May 16 - that of a 23-year-old man who travelled by Emirates Airline from New York to Hyderabad via Dubai. He has now been discharged after treatment.

Meanwhile three suspect cases - one each at Cochin, Delhi and Kolkata - have been isolated at the identified health facility.

Health screening of passengers coming from the affected countries is continuing at 21 international airports and over 1.3 million passengers have been screened so far.

Samples of 176 persons have been tested of which 10 have been tested positive for Influenza A (H1N1). The Central Rapid Response Team is assisting Andhra Pradesh for instituting public health measures that need to be taken in the event of a cluster reporting.

The WHO has reported about 21,940 confirmed cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection from 69 countries and 125 deaths till June 5.