Pune: A 48-year-old woman from Tandulwadi village in Baramati who died of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) at Deccan’s Sahyadri Hospital has become the first victim of swine flu after a gap of more than a year of zero deaths.

Dr Pradeep Awate, state surveillance officer, confirmed the death stating that the woman was admitted on March 10 with respiratory distress.

“The onset of symptoms started on March 8 as she reported cough and breathlessness. on March 10, she went to a private hospital in Pune and was later shifted to Sahyadri Hospital. A sonography showed a mass near pancreas and doctors suspected she had cancer of pancreas too. Patients with pre-existing medical conditions have low immunity and that’s why severity of infection is greater in their case,” said Awate.

Besides the death, five patients are in critical condition on ventilator support at various hospitals. The swine flu count is rising in the city with ten more people testing positive for H1N1 virus, confirmed district civil surgeon, Dr V B more.

The total number of people who tested positive for H1N1 infection since March 5 is 21, with 13 of them admitted to different hospitals and nine people on home-based treatment.

The sudden spurt in H1N1 cases after a long gap and the number of patients requiring ventilator support has caught the attention of authorities who said that daily monitoring of H1N1 cases that was stopped a few months ago is being revived.

“After the spate of H1N1 infections subsided, we stopped started having monthly meetings,” said Dr more.

“but after the spurt in cases, we would once again start daily monitoring of situations and weekly review meetings would be held to access the situation,” he added.

While all hospitals confirmed that a total of five patients were on life support and no deterioration in their condition took place, Bharati Hospital said that one patient’s condition had worsened a little in 24 hours. “his kidney function had reduced considerably and that’s why he was put on dialysis and started life saving medicines,” confirmed hospital dean, Dr Vivek Saoji.

Meanwhile, state joint director of health services, Dr V M Khanande, said that the spurt in cases, though surprising, could be attributed to erratic weather.

“During the transition period, viral load is expected to be high. While rise in H1N1 positive cases, especially critical patients is of concern, at the moment we can term them as sporadic incidents. so far we haven’t received any adverse reports on change in virus activity,” said Khanande.

Private hospitals and private practioners confirmed that they have upped the ante on H1N1 infections post reports of rising infections.

“All our doctors have been alerted to look for H1N1 cases,” said medical administrator of Poona Hospital, Dr R Sengupta. Medical superintendents at Inlaks Hospital, Jehangir Hospital and Inamdar Hospital said that all consultants have been alerted to report suspected H1N1 cases.

Five patients on ventilator support include a 55-year-old auto rickshaw driver at Bharati Hospital, a 30-year-old woman at Aditya Birla Hospital, a 55-year-old woman at Thergaon’s Global Hospital, a 24-year-old woman at KEM hospital and a 41-year-old man at Prayag Hospital.