Experts say swine flu virus not seasonal as cases rise in North
The exponential spike in the numbers has caused state-governments to issue precautions
Swine flu cases have risen in most of the North Indian since the month of January of 2019 as compared to the total number of cases in these states in the year 2018, as per the latest Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), a report released by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The exponential spike in the numbers has caused state-governments to issue precautions.
Experts say that the virus has mutated and it is not seasonal any more. There have been numerous cases reported in the North Indian states, including the colder Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, where there were far fewer cases in the previous years.
Delhi has seen 3,542 cases and 21 deaths, highest in the first three months since 2010. The highest number of cases in the whole of 2015 was 4,307. Haryana also has seen 1,026 cases and 16 deaths, highest since 2010.
Gujarat is seeing at least three deaths and up to 40 cases every day. Till March 31st, the state had reported 4,636 cases and 139 deaths. "We are keeping a close eye on the swine flu situation, and expect cases to start coming down," said a government official.
Even in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, the cases are on a steep high in 1892 and 4888 respectively, second highest since 2010. Rajasthan is leading in swine flu deaths across the country as 24 percent of deaths reported in India have happened in the state. As per daily monitoring report from the state health department, till March 31, a total of 190 people have succumbed due to the disease.
The country has reported 22,838 cases and 772 deaths as compared to 14,992 cases and 1103 deaths in 2018.
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Former Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), had earlier confirmed that the H1N1 swine flu virus has mutated and the disease is not seasonal any more. The new strain, called Michigan, was discovered in India early in 2018. The California strain of the disease has existed since 2009.
Maharashtra is seeing moderate cases with 1098 reported cases in and 73 deaths.