Two mothers on pilgrimage to India without any ailment returns with influenza,dies on the following day.
Coffins were not allowed to be opened,ordered to have burials on the following day.
It is reported that two Upasika mothers who had gone on a pilgrimage to India with a group in Chilaw upon returning had been admitted to the Chilaw district hospital.The two Upasika mothers who had been suffering from influenza had died on the following day.The cause of the deaths had been
determined as a viral influenza which causes non functioning of body organs.However it had been determined the cause as Influenza AH1N1 was added by the Director of the Chilaw district hospital Dr Dinusha Fernando.For his pilgrimage a group of 20 persons including these two Upasika mothers had left to India on the 27th and had returned on the 10th of this month.
The two deceased mothers are residents of Nalladarankattuwa area in Chilaw. The neighbours had added that when they left they were in good health and may have acquired the influenza when in pilgrimage..During the last days they have had been having a cough and had vomiting as ailments.Soon after admission to the hospital they had died.
The inquirer into sudden deaths had ordered to seal the coffins and to conduct the burial activities on the following day itself. Accordingly the last rites of the deceased had taken place.
It is said that in this manner the influenza virus had caused deaths on earlier occasions.In the yer 2004 the 'bird fever' that spread in Asia was an instance like this the Director of health in the Chilaw hospital had added.
It had been emphasized that the facilities and equipment to treat Influenza AH1N1 are unfortunately not available in Sri Lanka. Hence they could not be treated according to the All Lanka Nurses has disclosed by issuing a notice..