Seven persons from Karnataka’s Davanagere district tested positive for the H1N1 virus (swine flu).
“It is something we see around this time, a few cases of swine flu, but there is no reason to be panicked. We have informed the health officials concerned and the district surveillance officer and all the precautions to prevent further spread are being taken. The important thing is that people wash their hands and maintain hygienic practices,” stated Davanagere District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Raghavendra to TNM.
The DHO further noted that all the seven individuals have been admitted and are undergoing treatment. District officials have also begun screening for swine flu and have also begun awareness campaigns to ensure that people are educated about the disease.
While there were some reports that two individuals had succumbed to the disease in the district earlier this month, the doctor clarified that this was not true and that there has only been one death recorded in the district so far this year.
A man in his seventies had died earlier this month after contracting the disease, but the DHO said that the man’s condition was aggravated due to underlying health issues. “One man who had contracted swine flu and was admitted to a hospital in the district for treatment died earlier this month. He had underlying complications which worsened his condition,” he added.
The man was in his early seventies and was a known diabetic and had some other chronic health problems as well, which exacerbated his condition, said the DHO. Prior to this, another individual from Tumakuru district had died after contracting the disease in January.
On February 20, SAP had shut down its offices in Bengaluru’s Ecopark and in Mumbai and Gurgaon after 2 employees tested positive for swine flu. In a statement at the time, SAP had said that detailed contact tracing was being undertaken. “The health of our employees and their families is of utmost priority, as a precautionary measure, all the SAP India Offices across Bangalore, Gurgaon and Mumbai have been closed for extensive sanitization, and all SAP employees based in these locations have been asked to work from home till further notice,” the company said.
However, health department officials have stated that there is no reason to panic and to take basic precautionary measures.
Swine flu, which is more commonly called H1N1, is called by a strain of the influenza A virus. This disease is a zoonotic one, which means that it was initially commonly seen in animals, but then was transmitted to humans. The animal source for H1N1 is known to be pigs. The most common symptoms of swine flu include cough, fever, sore throat, headache, nausea, and vomiting. People may also present with chills and severe myalgia (fatigue).
The first cases of H1N1 in people were detected in April 2009 in the US. It is contagious and can be spread from person to person. A vaccine is available against the flu which the WHO has now declared to be a seasonal flu.
H1N1 has also been declared a ‘post-pandemic’ disease. This means that the disease is now one that has incorporated itself into the human population. Along with varying seasonal illnesses and influenza, there are seasonal periods where cases of swine flu will spike in different parts of the world. Some preventive measures to take include getting vaccinated, washing hands frequently, and avoiding contact with individuals who are ill.