Swine flu toll 12, drop in temperature may up risk

New Delhi: The death toll due to swine flu in Delhi has touched 12, as per the latest data released by the health ministry. The number of people affected by the viral influenza is 2,798. Doctors said that with fall in temperature, swine flu cases may rise further.

“People should take extra precaution in terms of maintaining hygiene and reporting to doctor if there is prolonged fever,” said Dr Arup Basu, senior chest physician at Sir Ganga Ram hospital (SGRH).

Maharashtra and Gujarat remain the worst-affected states by the viral influenza with 620 and 429 deaths respectively. Health officials said that countrywide there have been 1,964 deaths as on October 1 this year. “Last year, 265 people died due to swine flu. In 2015, the death toll stood at 2,990,” the official added.

According to the National Centre for Disease Control and AIIMS in Delhi and Pune’s National Institute of Virology, the virus in circulation this year is of Michigan strain. Earlier, it was mostly the California strain. Experts said the new strain could be behind the increase in cases and mortality, but it is yet to be proved scientifically.

“Swine flu cases usually tend to pick up during winter. But this year we have been getting many patients suffering from the infection since August itself. Most patients get better on their own, but in rare cases admission is required,” said Dr R K Singhal, senior consultant, internal medicine at BLK super-specialty hospital. Dr Singhal added that middle-aged persons and those with co-morbidities such as diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or cancer are vulnerable to death due to swine flu.

Another senior doctor said the death figures released by the government aren’t complete. “Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) alone has confirmed 31 deaths due to swine flu this year. Of this, 17 patients are from Delhi and the rest are from neighbouring states like Haryana (3), Uttarakhand (2), Uttar Pradesh (8) and Madhya Pradesh (1),” he added.

H1N1 infection, also referred to as swine flu since it was initially transmitted to humans through infected pigs, predominantly affects young persons. Research showed that most common symptom in fatal cases are cough followed by breathlessness, high fever, mild fever and sore throat and the most common co-morbidity is diabetes.

Dr Anoop Misra, chairman, Fortis C-Doc, said people with uncontrolled diabetes should get preventive flu vaccination. “Also, if they suffer from fever they should contact their physician on urgent basis,” he added.