Mumbai: Two hundred cases of H1N1, including two deaths, have been reported in the city till May. However, the good news is, the number of cases have been declining, from 85 in March to 47 in April and only 25 cases had been reported till May 20 and doctors are suggesting the outbreak is under control.
“There has been a 45 per cent reduction in H1N1 cases after the 87 reported in March,” said health official. Dr Santosh Revankar, deputy executive health officer, said, they were not taking any special measures, neither were they conducting any awareness campaign on H1N1. “Regular precautionary measures are in place to reduce the incidence,” he said.
Swine flu is caused by the H1N1 virus. Its symptoms include fever, cough, bodyache, nasal secretion, headache, fatigue, loose motions and weakness. Vaccination is recommended for high-risk groups such as pregnant women, senior citizens, those suffering from renal ailments and those with impaired immunity. Experts said fluctuating temperatures in March and April, and the high humidity levels in May could be helping the spread of the virus.
“The changes in strains of the virus are said to be probable reasons behind the untimely outbreak, which is usually prevalent during monsoon and winter,” said experts. Health officials also cited better surveillance for the increase in the number of cases being reported. The virus is not spreading as rampantly as it was a month ago and the number of cases is likely to go down in the coming months, they feel.
“The number of patients are decreasing gradually and the virus is not spreading as aggressively as it did a month ago. Vaccinations reduce the risk of the virus, especially among high-risk groups,” said Dr Om Srivastava, head, infectious diseases department, Jaslok Hospital.