Maharashtra has been witnessing a significant rise in the number of swine flu cases, with the highest number of infections reported in Pune, Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, Kolhapur and Nashik.
Until mid-August, at least 1,449 persons have been detected with swine flu in the state; 43 of these patients have succumbed to the infection. Pune recorded the most deaths – 13 – followed by Nashik (6), Thane (5) and Nagpur (4).
Maharashtra has seen 3,735 deaths due to A (H1N1) virus (swine flu) since the pandemic struck in 2009. Around 35,407 persons have been infected with swine flu in the last 13 years, according to a state health department analysis. Pune has reported 361 cases of the infection followed by Mumbai (291) and Thane (245) this year.
According to state health department data, there were 5,278 cases of H1N1 virus in Maharashtra and 268 deaths in 2009. In 2010 too, the numbers had climbed to 6,118 cases with 669 deaths. The next few years saw fewer numbers. This changed in 2015 which saw 8,583 cases and 905 deaths due to swine flu. There was a brief respite in 2016 but the numbers picked up when the state registered 6,144 cases and 778 deaths (in 2017), 2,594 cases and 462 deaths (2018), and 2,287 cases and 246 deaths in 2019. Following a lull in 2020 and 2021 when deaths were reported in single digits, this year has seen 43 deaths and 1,449 cases so far.
With respiratory infections thriving the most during monsoon, experts have advised wearing of masks. “It would be desirable to have the government authorities issue some guidelines on masking,” Dr Vineeta Bal, immunologist with the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), said.
In the wake of a spike in H1N1 swine flu cases in the last few days, medical experts are advising people to take a dose of the seasonal influenza vaccine. Referring to recent instances of patients getting Covid-19 or dengue along with swine flu, doctors are stressing the need to get “flu shots”.
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