NOIDA: At least three persons have died of swine flu in Noida hospitals, doctors said on Thursday, but none of them were from the city.There is, however, a sudden spurt in the number of people being diagnosed with swine flu as winter draws towards a close. Fifteen cases have been reported from the city in the past two weeks alone, taking the total tally to 43 since September last year. The latest case includes a doctor serving in the district hospital. According to the health department, as many as 120 samples of suspected patients have been sent to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for testing.The NCDC is mandated with testing of H1N1 virus cases emanating from NCR. Swine flu cases are on the rise in neighbouring Ghaziabad also, with 128 testing positive for H1N1 virus between December and February.Dr Anurag Bhargava, chief medical officer, Gautam Budh Nagar, told TOI that among the three deaths reported in Noida, the deceased belonged to Allahabad, Meerut and Ghaziabad. “One of the doctors at district hospital, Sector 30, has been diagnosed with swine flu,” he said.Dr HM Lavania, pathologist, district hospital, Sector 30, said at least 15 suspected cases of swine flu have come just in the past two weeks. Ghaziabad CMO Dr Narendra Gupta said no death has been reported from the district so far, but at least 10 patients that have come to Ghaziabad hospitals belong to Noida.“We have informed hospitals, schools and other institutes about the swine flu vaccine and urge the public to take vaccine for the H1N1 virus,” he said.Meanwhile, doctors have advised that distance should be maintained from a person suffering from cold and flu and people should avoid direct contact with those suffering from symptoms of the disease.Symptoms of the disease include sudden high fever, dry persistent cough, lingering headache, pain in muscles and bones, prolonged tiredness and weakness, diarrhoea with abdominal pain, joint pain and limb pain, vomiting and nausea, running or blocked nose, unremitting sneezes, sore throat, loss of appetite and disturbed sleep.

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