Two test negative for swine flu

Two passengers who travelled in the Emirates flight from New York to Hyderabad with the Minnesota University student diagnosed with swine flu were kept in isolation for a day after they developed a cough. Both tested negative on Monday, reports Sanchita Sharma.

Two passengers who travelled in the Emirates flight from New York to Hyderabad with the Minnesota University student diagnosed with swine flu were kept in isolation for a day after they developed a cough. Both tested negative on Monday.

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“Passenger details from Emirates flight EK524 (Dubai-Hyderabad, May 12) was taken and the state government traced 61 passengers. Two of them had a sore throat and a cough, though no fever. Their throat swabs were tested by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases and both tested negative for influenza A (H1N1),” said Dr Shiv Lal, director general of NICD.

There are 8,829 confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 infection that caused swine flu in 40 countries and resulted into 79 deaths. Chile on Sunday became the latest country to confirm a case of swine flu.

In India, 66 passengers with flu symptoms of cough, cold and fever have been tested for swine flu, of which only one tested positive.

Emirates, meanwhile, said the Indian passenger detected with swine flu had cleared the thermo scan installed to identify fever at Dubai airport.

“We can confirm the passenger cleared the thermo scan machines installed by health authorities at Dubai International Airport,” said Orhan Abbas, Emirates Vice President for India and Nepal.