Kerala: NRI died of viral pneumonia, not swine flu

The throat swab of the 52-year-old non resident Indian, who died in a hospital in Kerala's Kollam district on July 1, was found to be negative for H1N1 flu, putting to rest fears that his death may have been due to swine flu.

Deceased Stanley Pelis, who arrived in Kerala two weeks ago from the United Kingdom, had died of viral pneumonia, said director of Health Services Dr K Shyalaja.

The patient, who hails from Kollam, was suffering from viral fever, which later developed into pneumonia, she said. Pelis also had acute respiratory distress syndrome and succumbed to the fever on July 1 at a private hospital in Kollam, Shyalaja said.

Six persons, including two children, have been diagnosed with the H1N1 flu in Kerala.