Nearly 1.5k cases, 43 deaths: Maharashtra records uptick in swine flu cases - The Indian Express

There has been a significant rise in the number of A (H1N1) cases, or the swine flu, across Maharashtra with the highest number of patients in Pune, Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, Kolhapur and Nashik. From January till mid-August at least 1,449 persons were detected with swine flu and 43 persons died of the infection.

Among the deceased, 13 are from Pune, six from Nashik, five from Thane and four from Nagpur. Maharashtra has seen 3,735 deaths due to swine flu since the pandemic in 2009. Around 35,407 persons were infected with swine flu in the last 13 years according to a state health department data. Pune has reported 361 cases of swine flu followed by 291 in Mumbai and 245 in Thane this year.

"Maharashtra's overall surveillance and laboratory network has been regularly picking up cases, be it Covid or swine flu," Dr Pradeep Awate, Maharashtra surveillance officer, told The Indian Express. Swine flu has become endemic since the pandemic in 2009 and deaths are largely among the higher age group with co-morbid conditions, Dr Awate added.

At the intensive care unit of Noble Hospital for instance, of the 15 patients, one has Covid while 14 are affected by the H1N1 virus. Chief intensivist at Noble Hospital Dr Ameet Dravid said, "We are also getting H1N1 patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome related to bilateral pneumonia," he said.

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Dr Pradeep D'Costa, chief intensivist at KEM Hospital, said of the five patients with pneumonia at the hospital, three have swine flu, one is affected by covid and one may be a case of some viral or bacterial infection. The main symptoms of swine flu include fever, sore throat and body ache and treatment within the first seven days of the symptoms includes oseltamivir.

According to the state health department data, in 2009, there were 5,278 cases of H1N1 virus in Maharashtra and 268 deaths. In 2010, the numbers had climbed to 6,118 cases and 669 deaths. The next few years till 2015 saw less numbers. However, in 2015, there were 8,583 cases and 905 deaths due to swine flu. There was a brief respite in 2016 but the numbers rose when the state registered 6,144 cases and 778 deaths in 2017, 2,594 cases and 462 deaths in 2018 and 2,287 cases and 246 deaths in 2019. There was a lull in 2020 and 2021 when deaths were reported in single digits. However, this year, the state has already recorded 43 deaths and 1,449 cases.

Staying safe

With respiratory infections thriving best during monsoons, experts called for wearing of masks. "It would be desirable to have the government authorities issue some guidelines on masking," Dr Vineeta Bal, noted immunologist with the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, told The Indian Express.

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"Covid-19 is moving towards endemicity and there will be ups and downs in terms of figures. Now, with increasing cases of fever and differential diagnosis, be it swine flu or dengue, what needs to be remembered is the need to stay protected in crowded places by wearing masks," Dr Bal said. The expert noted that evidence has shown that the Omicron and sub-variants have not been of a "killer" type but spread more easily.

"Hence, the susceptibility of the population remains, especially among the paediatric age group. Sadly, we have completely let go of masking as an option. Wearing a mask would be an advantage as not only do I protect myself but others as well," Dr Bal added.

Combined tests of Covid-19, H1N1 and routine influenza cost nothing less than Rs 6,000 in private hospitals. With the cities showing a spike in H1N1 cases, there has been a demand to regulate the rates of laboratory tests to detect the infection. The high cost makes it nearly impossible for someone to get each member of the family tested, said a patient's relative on condition of anonymity. The relative added, "There should be some effort to restrict the price for testing for H1N1 virus."