Taking a strong exception to Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's statement, that Reeda Sheikh was responsible for the entry of swine flu in India, members of her family Sunday demanded his resignation. Addressing a news conference here, Reeda's mother Sheireen, said it was her daughter's death that alerted the country about the dangers of swine flu. Reeda Sheikh was the first victim of H1N1 virus in India. Earlier, Azad had said in Delhi that Reeda might have spread the disease to nearly 85 people of her school, as a person could spread the disease to thousands of people. Schools in Pune were closed after the death of 14- year-old Reeda a student of class 9 in St. Anne's School. Reeda's aunt Ayesha questioned how Azad could say that the spread of the virus was minimal, when nearly a lakh people have died of the disease. They also said that no one in the country is expediting measures to control swine flu. Reeda's family members demanded an apology in writing by both Azad and Union Health Secretary Naresh Dayal.
