NEW DELHI: The mercury rising, yet the H1N1 influenza A virus seems to defy its survival limitations, worrying the health ministry and doctors.
This year, swine flu deaths have more than doubled compared to the previous year taking the toll to 624. A total of 9,311 people got infected, government data show. In February alone over 300 died across the country. In 2014, 218 swine flu deaths were reported from a total of 937 cases, pan-India.
"As it starts getting warmer, we expected cases to come down. This year the trend is different," says Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant, internal medicine, at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals.
Union health minister JP Nadda has held frequent review meetings. The ministry's directed pharma companies to expedite supply of antiviral medicines to state hospitals and licensed retail outlets. "We've asked companies to airlift stocks, if required. We'll monitor availability in the retail market," Union health secretary BP Sharma said. The government hopes cases will come down with awareness and precautionary measures, he said. The ministry has directed states to provide protective kits to health workers.
Although the cause is yet to be ascertained, doctors suspect a change in the strain behaviour — which generally happens in three to four years — resulting in the sudden spurt in cases. ICMR, though, has ruled out strain mutation, BP Sharma, secretary to the health ministry said.
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