North India states have more H1N1 cases than in 2018

The latest IDSP (Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme), a report by the Health Ministry has revealed that the number of swine flu cases in the first three weeks of 2019 in some North Indian states has already crossed the total number of cases reported in those states in 2018.

The alarming spike has led to the Delhi government issuing an advisory on Dos and Don'ts and on the prevention of swine flu.

The report revealed that there have been 265 cases of H1N1 in the National Capital until January 20, whereas the city reported only 205 cases until December 2018. The same is true for Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, where several deaths and an even higher number of cases than last year have been reported.

Number of swine flu cases in the country too is rising with 2,777 cases already reported in the country and 85 deaths. In 2018, 14,992 cases were reported, out of which, 1,103 patients died.

While the Ministry of Family and Health Welfare has asked the State Health Department to take appropriate measures against the flu, the Delhi State Health Department has assured that isolation wards are already in place and that vaccines are in stock.

"We are prepared for the worse. All medicines, IVs are in stock and isolation wards and ICUs are available too," said Dr VK Tiwari, Medical Superintendent, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.

Around ten people are being treated at Delhi government's Lok Nayak Hospital in Delhi Gate, 15 at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, 23 at AIIMS, and 18 at Safdarjung Hospital.

Although the flue has not taken any lives in the National Capital, two people have died of the disease in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh each; nine in Punjab and four in Uttar Pradesh.

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 anymore. The new strain, called Michigan, was discovered in India early in 2018. The California strain of the disease has existed since 2009.

Initially recorded in 2009 in Mexico, the disease was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in 2010. India had already witnessed 42,592 cases and 3,000 deaths by the end of 2010, as recorded.