Swine flu follows monsoon trail

[Treyfish]

New Delhi, July 19 (IANS)
The monsoon, a much-awaited phenomenon in India, has this year brought with it a return of the swine flu virus. With 332 cases reported from all over the country since July 12, swine flu has spread to almost every part of the country.
Kerala has the highest number of 121 reported cases, closely followed by Maharashtra with 102 cases so far.

A total of 21 deaths have been reported from the affected states.

The death toll is highest in Maharashtra with 11 deaths reported. Kerala reported 8 deaths, while Delhi and Gujarat, which saw rapid spread of the virus in the last two weeks, have reported one each.

In the northern plains, which was saved from the virus due to the dry weather, the monsoon has brought with it the threat of rapid spread of H1N1. Delhi has reported 14 cases, Haryana one, and Uttar Pradesh two cases so far.

However, according to experts, the virus may not create as much havoc this year as people have developed some immunity to it.

?The problem will be severe only if the virus mutates again,? a health ministry official said.

?With two indigenous vaccines, we are now prepared to face the threat,? he added.

Since its outbreak in May last year, swine flu has so far claimed 1,646 lives in India so far. :tiphat:http://calcuttatube.com/swine-flu-follows-monsoon-trail/106729/

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Swine flu follows monsoon trail

INFLUENZA PANDEMIC (H1N1) (53): INDIA
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ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
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******
[1]
Date: Mon 19 Jul 2010
Source: Indian Express.com [edited]
<http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Swine-flu-cases-rise--21-deaths-last-week/648792>


Swine flu cases rise, 21 deaths last week
-----------------------------------------
The swine flu virus [influenza pandemic (H1N1) virus], which has been
on a resurgent course since the beginning of monsoons, tightened its
grip over the country during the past week with 21 deaths being
reported from various parts.

Kerala and Maharashtra again bore the brunt during the week (13 to 19
Jul 2010) with these states reporting 8 and 11 cases [deaths?]
respectively. One death was reported from Delhi and another from
Gujarat.

The 2 states had reported 16 out of the total of 17 deaths [during]
the [previous] week (7 to 13 Jul 2010). Out of the 332 cases reported
during the week, only one case is an imported case and the rest are
indigenous cases.

Up to the present, samples from 14 7250 people have been tested for
influenza pandemic A(H1N1) virus infection in government laboratories
and a few private laboratories across the country and 34 115 of them
have been found positive.

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Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
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******
[2]
Date: Fri 16 Jul 2010
Source: The Deccan Herald [edited]
<http://www.deccanherald.com/content/81854/use-h1n1-vaccine-stock-centre.html>


Use H1N1 vaccine stock: Centre to State
---------------------------------------
Almost 60 percent of the H1N1 vaccine [the state of] Karnataka
received from the Centre in March [2010] still remains unused,
compelling the Union Health Ministry to ask the state to expedite the
vaccination programme.

With a new [outbreak of influenza pandemic (H1N1) virus infection in
Kerala, which is spreading fast, the Ministry has now prodded
Karnataka to use the stock to vaccinate the health care workers at
the earliest. In March [2010], 124 200 doses (around 60 000 vials) of
H1N1 vaccine, manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur, was supplied to the
state. Up to 23 Jun 2010, only 46 061 doses [had been] used.

Union health secretary, K Sujatha Rao, has asked the state to make
vaccination "mandatory for all health workers without fail."
Moreover, vaccination should be carried out in an urgent manner as
"the life of this vaccine is not very long and needs to be utilised
well before its expiry date." The vaccine has a shelf life of a year.

"With the [onset] of monsoon and the winter season, the probability
of influenza pandemic (H1N1) virus [causing] a major outbreak and
serious morbidity cannot be ruled out," Rao said in a letter to E V
Raman Reddy, principal secretary (health), a copy of which is
available [from the] Deccan Herald.

The vaccines are intended for doctors, nurses, para-medical and
support staff working in areas most vulnerable to the infection. In
March, the state [Karnataka] health officials had said about 54 000
health workers in government hospitals would be vaccinated, although
there would not be any compulsion.

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ProMED-mail
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[According to the Influenza pandemic (H1N1) (52): WHO update 109
[proMED-mail archive number 20100716.2381]: "In Asia, overall
pandemic influenza activity remains low to sporadic, except in parts
of southern and western India, Malaysia, and Singapore. As reported
last week, in India, transmission of pandemic influenza virus remains
active but stable in the southern state of Kerala. The extent of
illness in the community is currently being assessed and monitored by
the Government of India. Similar numbers of new cases, including
small numbers of fatal cases, have been reported on a weekly basis
since transmission 1st increased during mid-June 2010. Recent, small
increases in pandemic influenza virus circulation have also been
observed since mid-June 2010 in other southern and western states of
India, particularly in the western state of Maharashtra."

The above press reports suggest that with the onset of the monsoon
season influenza pandemic (H1N1) virus continues to circulate in the
states of Maharashtra, Kerala and possibly Karnataka.

A map of the states of India showing the locations of Maharashtra,
Karnataka and Kerala can be accessed at:
<http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/india/india-political-map.htm>. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of India is available at:
<http://healthmap.org/r/008o>.:tiphat:http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,83758