Swine flu may go out of hand

The Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV) is concerned about the spurt
in swine flu cases during monsoon.

It “may just go out of hand” as H1N1 virus thrives in moist conditions, NIV director AC Mishra told DNA.

The saving grace is that the attack has been milder in India compared to Mexico and the United States, from where the virus spread to the rest of the world.

“Initially, we were concerned about how the virus will behave in India,” Mishra said. “Luckily, the attack here has been milder, though the characteristics of the viral strain have remained more or less the same.”

Also, there have been no major changes in the H1N1 markers developed to test various factors such as lethality, adaptability and drug resistance. “The virus is still sensitive to Tamiflu” which is not sold over the counter in India, Mishra said.

The World Health Organisation has declared H1N1 flu a global pandemic, raising the highest level six alert. India is currently at level 4. While 480 confirmed flu deaths have been reported worldwide, the virus has not claimed any life in India so far.  Turn to p14

At least 371 confirmed cases have been reported across the country, with Delhi witnessing the highest 88, followed by 39 each in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. 
Pune has reported the maximum, 31 cases, in the state, with 21 coming from the school Abhinava Vidyalaya, which has been temporarily shut down.

In Delhi, students from three schools have tested positive and some classes have been temporarily shut down. But the government said there was no reason to shut the schools.

The common symptoms for H1N1 flu include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue, besides diarrhoea and vomiting. Virologists at NIV said the worst-hit countries have seen deaths because of respiratory failure, pneumonia, high fever and electrolyte imbalance.