Panic continues to rage concerning the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. At the same time, other viral outbreaks are also rearing their heads. Sporadic outbreaks of swine flu (H1N1) have begun occurring across a number of states with Himachal Pradesh hard-hit by the disease. An estimated eleven people have tested positive for H1N1 according to Himachal […]
H1N1
H1N1 claims more lives in Maharashtra
H1N1 has claimed more than 200 lives in Maharashtra this year, as the state continues to be a hotspot of the disease in India. Commonly known as ‘swine flu’, H1N1 has been a blight on public health in India in recent years. An outbreak in 2015 recorded 42,592 cases and 2,990 deaths. After a plateau […]
Suspected dengue fever leads to 2,000 hospitalisations in Mumbai after monsoon
Almost 2,000 Mumbai residents were hospitalised with suspected dengue fever in the beginning of October, amidst the withdrawal of monsoon rains. The first fifteen days of October marked a slight spike in cases of suspected dengue fever compared to the same period in September. In total, 1,970 suspected dengue fever cases have been reported in […]
Rajasthan to look to Maharashtra on how to handle swine flu cases
Rajasthan has been battling swine flu cases since the beginning of the year. Now it is looking to another state with a high burden of the disease – Maharashtra – for guidance on how to handle it. “We will implement [the] Maharashtra model in the state to combat swine flu,” said Dr Ravi Prakash Sharma, […]
Lessons from the dengue and H1N1 rise in Mumbai
The first quarter of 2019 saw an increased burden of dengue fever in Mumbai compared to last year, official figures show. Yet there may be other causes for concern when it comes to infectious diseases in the metro. India’s largest city and the state capital of Maharashtra reported 44 cases of dengue in the January-March […]
Disease profile: Swine flu
Swine flu is a relatively recent phenomenon. The first known outbreak originated in Mexico in April 2009. The disease’s official name is H1N1. However, it is more commonly known as “swine flu” owing to the fact that this strain of the flu is similar to one that affects pigs. The disease spread rapidly from the […]
Swine flu kills more than 160 people
Flu season has come again and swine flu is making its rounds, leading to a swathe of deaths across India. According to data issued by the government, 169 deaths have been reported due to the H1N1 virus — or swine flu — for which 4,571 people have tested positive across January. Rajasthan has been […]
Outbreak of swine flu in Karnataka
In Karnataka, 456 people have tested positive for the H1N1 virus — also known as swine flu. A 52 year-old woman from Siddipet is the first reported fatality resulting from H1N1 infection. Another eleven patients are currently in critical care at the time of writing. The woman was admitted to hospital with a high fever, […]