90 H1N1 deaths since January

Mumbai: Mumbai reported its first positive case of swine flu (H1N1) of September. Around 90 people have lost their lives due to the H1N1 virus in the state since January. As many as 27 deaths due to H1N1 happened in Nashik, followed by 25 in Pune city and district.

After the cascade of monsoon withdrawals from the city, however, in September the first case of H1N1 has been reported in city, whereas the cases of dengue have increased from 3,721 in September 2017 to 4635 in September 2018 stated the civic epidemiology department.

Though Mumbai reported its first positive case of H1N1 of September, the threat of swine flu is looming over Maharashtra. Extended rainfall, wide fluctuations in day and night temperature and co-circulation of other influenza viruses are among the reasons for the sharp rise in swine flu cases and deaths in the state in the last two months, experts said.

Scientists at the Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV) have confirmed that the positive cases of both influenza viruses (H1N1 and H3N2) have collectively gone up to over 10 per cent in September.

However, the state’s health minister Deepak Sawant said, “Private practitioners should put patients suffering from fever and cold on Oseltamivir, if symptoms did not subside within 24 hours. The department is preparing a protocol for private doctors to treat swine flu patients on ventilator support.”

Swine flu is a respiratory-tract disease caused by influenza H1N1 viruses. It infects the respiratory tract resulting in barking cough, decreased appetite, headache, body ache, dysentery and nasal secretions.

It can be easily transmitted through the air, skin, saliva and contaminated surfaces.

Dr Om Shrivastav, consultant for infectious diseases, said, “We need to make sure that the fatalities were from the high-risk groups, as the virus is more likely to affect the high-risk groups. If the fatalities are reported in people with relatively better immune system, then it’s possible that the virus is behaving differently.”

“The government has taken cognisance and the health department has set up a decent plan as well as advisory as a preventive measure. However, better options are to avoid crowded places and to wear N-95 masks,” added Dr Shrivastav.