Nagpur/New Delhi: Swine flu continues its death march unabated as total 1094 people have succumbed to H1N1 virus infection in last eight months, shows the data released by Union Health Ministry on Wednesday. Swine flu has claimed 342 lives in last three weeks. The latest data on swine flu reveals that Maharashtra and Gujarat are worst affected by the viral influenza with 437 and 269 deaths, respectively.
Of the 22,186 cases of swine flu India witnessed till August 20, Maharashtra has recorded 4,245 cases, highest in the country. Another BJP-ruled state Gujarat recorded 3,029 swine flu cases, followed by Tamil Nadu 2,994 cases. Among other states that recorded the high number of swine flu till August 20, 2017, are Karnataka (2,956) and Kerala (1,374). No cases of swine flu have so far been reported this year from three northeastern states of Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalaya.
According to Telangana government, one hundred cases of swine flu infection have been detected in the state since August 1. However, the state has not reported any death due to the swine flu infection this month, said the government. In Delhi that has recorded 1,719 H1N1 infections and five deaths, BJP requested Lt Governor Anil Baijal for declaring a medical emergency. Delhi BJP leader Manoj Tiwari alleged the ruling AAP government is only issuing “political statements” instead of taking steps to prevent the disease.
As per the data, 342 people have died in August alone as compared to six deaths in the same period last year. However, September and October are peak months for transmission of the viral influenza, shows data. The country witnessed the worst outbreak of the H1N1 influenza in the pandemic years of 2009-10 when the disease killed over 2,700 people and affected around 50,000 others. However, in 2016 the swine-related cases were 1,786 and deaths were 265.
H1N1 influenza, commonly known as swine flu, is a respiratory flu with symptoms like fever, sore throat, headache, cough, runny nose, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting.
