Do you have swine flu (H1N1)? Symptoms you need to watch out for
Though H1N1 is called swine flu, you can't catch swine flu from eating pork. The air-borne virus is harboured in pigs and spreads to human beings through animal-human interaction.
Swine flu or H1N1 is part of the influenza A family of viruses. Influenza viruses infect the cells lining your nose, throat and lungs. The virus enters your body when you inhale contaminated droplets or transfer live virus from a contaminated surface to your eyes, nose or mouth.
It mimics normal flu symptoms, with the patient beginning to have dry cough, fever, headache and throat irritation. Subsequently, the symptoms may worsen to cause breathlessness
It spreads from one human being to another via air. When an infected person sneezes or coughs, micro droplets are liberated in the environment which may infect those who come in contact with the infected person
Though H1N1 is called swine flu, you can't catch swine flu from eating pork. The air-borne virus is harboured in pigs and spreads to human beings through animal-human interaction.
Symptoms: Swine flu symptoms develop about one to three days after one is exposed to the virus and continue for about seven days.
Fever
Cough
Sore throat
Runny or stuffy nose
Body ache
Headache
Chills
Fatigue
Diarrhoea
Vomiting
Cover mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze
Wash your hands with soap or use sanitiser
Avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth
Drink plenty of water and have nutritious food
Sleep for 8 hours every night
Avoid handshakes/contact greetings
Avoid self-medication
Those younger than 5 years, particularly two-year-olds
Those aged 65 and above
Pregnant women, including women who have had a miscarriage
Those aged 19 or below, and those who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy
Those who have certain chronic medical conditions, including asthma, emphysema, heart disease, diabetes, neuromuscular disease, obesity, and kidney, liver or blood disease
Those who are immuno-suppressed due to certain medications or HIV
As many as 59 new cases of swine flu were reported in the state on Tuesday, while three more patients succumbed to the H1N1 virus, officials said. The number of swine flu cases reported in the state since January 1 went up to 659 with the 59 fresh cases on Tuesday. The number of cases is the highest reported in a single day this year. Twenty-two of the new cases were reported within AMC limits
. Five cases were reported in Anand, four in Surat city, and three in Vadodara city. The health department said that two cases of swine flu were reported from Gandhinagar rural, Amreli, Bhavnagar city, Gandhinagar city, Mehsana and Sabarkantha, while one case was confirmed in Rajkot, Bharuch, Botad, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Banaskantha, Surendranagar, Kheda, Aravalli, and Navsari. Of the three swine flu deaths on Tuesday, two were reported in Vadodara city, and one in Bhavnagar city. With this, the total number of deaths caused by swine flu in the state since January 1 has gone up to 27. Four deaths were reported in the state on Monday. The health department said that 334 swine flu patients had recovered after treatment, while 298 others are under treatment.
The national capital has seen an alarming rise in the number of swine flu cases with at least 479 people testing positive for the infectious seasonal influenza and two government hospitals reporting a combined death toll of 11, so far this year.
Delhi has witnessed a rise in the number of swine flu cases this year, with 479 people diagnosed with the disease so far, which is an increase from the total 205 cases reported in the entire year of 2018, according to a report by the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
"Till January 28, a total of 18 people were admitted with symptoms of swine flu at the Safdarjung Hospital out of which three have died this January. The three who died were from Uttar Pradesh,” an official from the hospital said.
A 35-year-old became the youngest to have succumbed to the respiratory disease at the hospital, the official said.
At the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML) a spokesperson said eight people had died from swine flu and out of the 15 admitted with H1N1 influenza symptoms, this month, four were discharged and three persons were undergoing treatment.
Swine flu cases generally rise in the winter season and a majority of people contracting the disease in the month of December and January. Recently BJP President Amit Shah was discharged after being hospitalized with swine flu.
“H1N1 is now the circulating virus and with seasonal change we see an increase in cases. One reason is that with an increased awareness, there is more testing is being done and so we are picking up more cases. Secondly the number of patients presenting with the symptoms has increased,” Dr Karan Madan, spokesperson, All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) said
“Doctors, nurses and those working in medical facilities along with high-risk group patients, the elderly and children below eight years should be vaccinated for flu. Cough hygiene and handwashing are the important precautions to be taken,” he said.
Initially, H1N1 symptoms are similar to normal influenza with symptoms like fever, fatigue, shortness of breath, body ache, cough, diarrhoea and vomiting among others. The contagious virus spreads through saliva or mucus of the infected person. People might also contract the infection by touching surfaces covered by the virus and then touching their eyes or nose.
“Those with severe flu present symptoms like breathing problems, increased coughing, fainting, and vomiting need to test for flu and start medication, he said.
Notably, apart from Delhi, Rajasthan and other parts of the country too are witnessing a spike in cases of H1N1 seasonal influenza, also known as swine flu.
According to data compiled by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Rajasthan is the worst affected in the country with at least 1,856 (40 per cent) of the total cases being reported from the state as of January 27. The state has witnessed 72 deaths in the past month.
Incidentally, NCDC has not reported any deaths from swine flu in Delhi.
A total of 169 people died in the country of swine flu according to NCDC.