Chennai, Aug 10 (IANS) Four-year-old Sanjay Balakrishnan died of influenza A (H1N1) infection at a private hospital here Monday, becoming the first swine flu victim in Tamil Nadu and the sixth in the country.
Balakrishnan died at about 8.35 a.m. at the Mehta Children’s Hospital.

“The boy was first admitted to another city hospital with severe diarrhoea and renal problem Thursday. He also had fever. We were called for consultation the same day and the boy was transferred to our hospital that evening,” N. Prahlad, paediatrician and paediatric nephrologist at Mehta Children’s Hospital, told reporters.

The child was put on a ventilator since his heart beat was very slow and he had respiratory problems. He also suffered kidney and liver failure and had to be put on dialysis.

According to Prahlad, swine flu was suspected Saturday. The boy’s nasal and throat swabs were sent to the Kings Research Institute here. The samples tested positive and within 45 minutes the child was administered Tamiflu.

On Sunday, Balakrishnan’ blood pressure fell and he suffered multiple organ failure.

“The symptoms shown by the child were not that of swine flu. Failure of organs depends on the immunity of a person. If the immune system is weak, the organs will fail,” said Shanmugasundaram, another doctor at Mehta Children’s Hospital.

“The cause of death will have to be investigated as the boy was suffering from asthma and several of his vital organs failed,” S. Illango, director of public health and preventive medicine department, told IANS.

He said the body will soon be handed over to the family for the last rites.

P. Kuganathan, health officer of the corporation of Chennai, said: “The deceased boy’s brother is admitted in the Communicable Diseases Hospital and is free from complications. Other members of the family have tested negative.”

He said that 138 people in the city were tested for swine flu and 45 were positive. Out of them, 31 had been treated and discharged.

According to a central government health official, 42 people have tested swine flu positive in Tamil Nadu but no case has been reported in nearby Puducherry.

“We are taking all preventive steps like creating awareness. All hospitals will be given Tamiflu tablets. Preventive medication is being given to the people who came in close contact with the boy who died in the morning,” he said.