Representational file image. | Photo Credit: Reuters
Punjab (41), Kerala (34), and Gujarat (28) top the list of States that have recorded the maximum number of deaths by influenza A (H1N1), according to the latest figures released by National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which collects data from across India. With over 9,000 H1N1 cases, India has registered 178 deaths by H1N1, also known as swine flu, till the end of July in 2024. The highest number of cases have been recorded in Delhi, Gujarat, and Kerala. The last surge in cases, numbering 13,202, was seen in 2022, which led to 410 deaths.
Influenza A or H1N1, also known as swine flu, is a respiratory disease that can affect both pigs and humans. It’s a subtype of the influenza A virus that causes infections in the upper and sometimes lower respiratory tract. The virus spreads through the air by coughing, sneezing, breathing, and talking, and can also enter the body via contaminated surfaces. The virus is contagious from about a day before symptoms appear until about four days after they start. Children and people with weakened immune systems may be able to spread the virus for a slightly longer period of time.
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The first confirmed case of swine flu in India was documented in May 2009, but huge numbers of cases have been reported thereafter. India reported 778 cases of H1N1 in 2021 with 12 deaths; 13,202 cases and 410 deaths in 2022; and 8,125 cases and 129 deaths in 2023.
The Central government has been keeping a strict vigil on zoonotic diseases across India. Zoonoses are infectious diseases that can transfer between animals and humans, including rabies, anthrax, influenza (H1N1 and H5N1), Nipah, COVID-19, brucellosis, and tuberculosis. These diseases are caused by various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi.
A senior Health Ministry official noted that the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases is achieved by vaccination, good hygiene and animal husbandry practices, and vector control.
