Swine flu took two more lives in Pune taking the death toll to 87. However, according to officials there has been a fall in the rate of the swine flu infection from last few days.

Thirty-six-year-old Sunita Raju Gaikwad from Sambhaji Nagar in Dhankawadi was admitted to Sassoon Hospital on October 16. She died on October 17 due to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Vijaykumar Gandhi (45) of Anthurne village in Indapur taluka was admitted to Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital where he died on October 16.

According to health department officials, on Monday, six patients were on ventilators, while eight more were in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) at hospitals. Officials are already preparing for the second wave of H1N1 virus.

Dr. Ashok Mehta, joint director health services, said that H1N1 virus is freely circulating in the community and it would be premature to say that the ‘first’ wave of H1N1 virus infection was over.  

He added, “Still, we have launched a massive exercise to prepare for the second wave of infections in terms of requirement of intensive care units, ventilators, manpower and made alternative arrangements like utilising even schools to admit patients.”