India sees sharp rise in H1N1 cases; experts urge early testing, precautions
Several states across India are reporting a spike in H1N1 cases, along with other influenza-like illnesses, viral fevers, and respiratory tract infections. While health experts say there is no cause for alarm, they advise that children with asthma and other chronic conditions may require special attention.
H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, is a subtype of influenza A that causes respiratory illness. Symptoms include fever or chills, cough, sore throat, runny or blocked nose, headache, tiredness, and muscle or body aches. Some patients may also experience vomiting and diarrhoea.
In the national capital, Delhi has recorded a sharp rise in H1N1 cases, with 1,344 infections reported by early August. This is nearly six times higher than the 229 cases recorded during the same period last year. Government hospitals have set up separate isolation wards, and health officials have urged vulnerable groups, including children and older adults, to take extra precautions.
Mumbai has also seen an increase, according to a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official. The city recorded 309 cases between June 1 and August 15 this year, compared to 72 cases during the same period in the previous year.
In Bengaluru, doctors report a noticeable rise in influenza-like illness, viral fever, and respiratory tract infections among children. H1N1 cases have been confirmed, but testing is limited to children with severe or persistent symptoms and those with severe acute respiratory illness. At the State-run Vani Vilas Women and Children Hospital, paediatrics head Chikkanarasa Reddy P.S. said respiratory complaints and fever account for nearly 80% of the daily paediatric out-patient load, so only children with more aggressive symptoms are being tested.
In one Bengaluru school, Clarence High School, over 500 cases of influenza-like illness have been reported, with two confirmed H1N1 cases among students. This has raised concerns about transmission in classrooms and other crowded indoor settings. At the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, director Narendra Babu said the hospital is confirming around two to three H1N1 cases a day among those tested.
Private sector paediatricians are seeing a sharper rise. Vikas Satwik, senior paediatrician and neonatologist at Motherhood Hospitals, said school-going children account for a substantial share of cases. Sujatha Thyagarajan, lead and head of paediatric intensive care and paediatric emergency at Aster Women and Children Hospital, noted that H1N1 and other influenza A infections are rising earlier than the usual seasonal pattern.
In Chennai, J.K. Reddy, a senior paediatrics consultant at Apollo Children’s Hospital, said they have been seeing H1N1 cases among children for the past two weeks, with a slight rise this week. He advised that children suspected of having influenza should be tested within 24 to 48 hours of developing symptoms, as anti-flu drugs are more effective if started in the first few days of fever. Government doctors in Chennai confirmed they are seeing patients with flu-like symptoms, but since routine testing for H1N1 is not conducted at government hospitals, it is difficult to classify these cases.
Janani Sankar, medical director at the Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital in Chennai, said most children are managed as outpatients, though some with extreme fatigue, severe body pain, and lack of oral intake required hospitalisation. She added that they are yet to see a confirmed H1N1 case.
In Telangana, Director of Public Health and Family Welfare Ravinder Nayak said the number of H1N1 cases in the state is lower than in the corresponding period last year. Vijay Kumar, superintendent of Niloufer Hospital, also confirmed a similar trend. Health authorities continue to monitor the situation and advise the public to follow preventive measures such as hand hygiene, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when unwell.
