Pune, Aug 3 - The death of a 14-year-old girl due to swine flu here Monday has shocked health officials at how a serious H1N1 patient could remain under private treatment for over a fortnight.
They are inquiring whether the case was notified to the authorities especially since Pune was been declared a pandemic city last month.
Meanwhile, the number of flu cases in Maharashtra rose to 147 - with 102 in Pune, 20 in Mumbai, 23 in the hill-station of Panchgani, and two in Thane.
'The deceased patient, Riya Shaikh, had been admitted to Jehangir Hospital, a private hospital, July 21. As per preliminary information, she passed away this evening,' the official told IANS.
Of the 102 patients in Pune, as many as 86 are children, mostly school students, he said.
In the past six days alone, Pune recorded 36 cases, and the virus has spread to many more schools in the city, the official said.
Last week, the health authorities had shut down three Pune schools - Abhinav English Medium School, Seva Sadan High School and Symbiosis Primary & High School - after many students there were affected by the virus.
Similarly, the state and district health authorities had begun screening students in Panchganis's 16 top residential public schools after 16 students were detected with H1N1 symptoms.