Six states including Uttar Pradesh and Delhi are in the grip of swine flu i.e. H1N1 virus. So far, 1,777 cases have been reported in the national capital.
At the same time, 337 infected people have been confirmed in Uttar Pradesh, 119 in Haryana and 93 in Punjab. In view of the continuously increasing cases, many states have issued advisories asking hospitals to remain in alert mode.
However, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said that there is no need to panic. The swine flu virus currently spreading is not a new variant. It is present in the country since 2025 and is under constant surveillance.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda reviewed the situation amid increasing cases of swine flu. In this, instructions were given for monitoring the disease, investigation, preparation of hospitals and timely treatment. All states have been asked to increase surveillance and identify serious patients early.
So far this year, 2,392 cases of influenza-A have been reported in Delhi. Of these, 1,777 are cases of H1N1 i.e. swine flu.
There were 229 cases in the same period last year, which means there has been almost an eight-fold increase in swine flu cases this year. On August 20, 114 cases were reported in a single day. Apart from this, 138 cases of H3 and 37 cases of H1 have been confirmed.
Most of the cases found in UP till August 20 are from NCR. 11 patients from Meerut, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar are undergoing treatment.
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, former chief scientist of the World Health Organization, said, this is seasonal influenza caused by monsoon. The number of cases appears to be higher due to better surveillance and more testing.
There is no need to panic, although people at high risk should remain alert. Avoid going in crowds. Be careful in case of cough and cold.