NRI with swine flu dies in Ahmedabad, wife critical

A 43-year-old NRI who arrived in Ahmedabad from the US last month succumbed to Influenza A (H1NI) early Sunday, becoming India's fourth swine flu victim, officials said. His wife has tested positive for the virus and is in critical condition.

Pravin Patel, who flew in with his wife from Atlanta July 31, died at the government civil hospital. He was on the ventilator and his condition deteriorated late Saturday night.

"Pravin Patel was brought with a very heavy higher respiratory tract infection to the civil hospital and was under ventilation between August 5 and August 7. He was taken off the ventilator for a few hours on August 8 as his condition improved. He was put back on ventilation Saturday night as his condition again started deteriorating. His wife is still in a critical condition but not under ventilation," a senior resident of the government civil hospital said.

Gujarat Health Minister Jaynarayan Vyas said: "This is the first swine flu death in Ahmedabad. The patient had earlier complications as well - he had viral pneumonia, which is very difficult to treat, his haemoglobin was low. All these outer problems added to the complications of swine flu and he passed away."

Patel and his wife, whose name was not immediately available, were earlier under treatment at a private hospital till August 4.

There are 13 positive cases of swine flu in Ahmedabad. The blood samples of another 53 patients are under examination for the virus across Gujarat.

Three people have died in Maharashtra - two in Pune and one in Mumbai - of swine flu.