Docs flu test negative

TT, Siliguri, Feb. 26: The two junior doctors of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital here, who complained of fever after treating two swine flu patients admitted there, have tested negative for H1N1 virus.

Biswaranjan Sathpathy, the director of health services of the state, however, said: "The first samples of the two doctors at NBMCH which were sent to National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases yesterday have tested negative for H1N1 virus. Fresh samples of the doctors have been sent for tests again to be twice as sure."

The two doctors had been treating Anuj Saikia and Sukhopa Hendrik, two 19-year-old youths from Assam who had been diagnosed with swine flu, without wearing any protective gear and masks until the reports confirming the disease came on Tuesday.

The two youths were staying in Matigara and were admitted to an isolation ward at NBMCH on February 20.

"The total number of swine flu cases reported (from across the state) until today is 100 which include the six deaths that have occurred so far. Apart from the two patients from Assam, no fresh cases of swine flu have been reported from north Bengal," said Sathpathy.