Maharashtra reportedly saw a 400 percent surge in H1N1 (swine flu) cases in the monsoon months this year, as per the state health department.
While the state recorded 142 cases of swine flu from January 1 to July 21, the tally rose up to 3,585 cases from July to September. The state also recorded 205 deaths caused by the virus this year, with Pune being the highest at 46, followed by 19 in Kolhapur, as per PTI.
“Maharashtra has reported at least 3,585 cases of swine flu and 205 deaths. These cases have seen a surge in July, August and September,” Dr Pradip Awate, state surveillance officer, told Hindustan Times. “The number of deaths have also been on the higher side. In August, 95 deaths were reported across Maharashtra. The maximum number of cases and deaths have been reported in Pune, Nashik, Nagpur and Thane districts in Maharashtra. Other districts have reported a lesser number of cases.”
However, Dr Awate also said that following the surge, the cases were now on a decline in the state. “In October itself, Maharashtra has reported 14 deaths. Even though the cases are on the decline, we have seen that during winters, there is a slight surge in cases.”
While he said that the winter wave is milder than the monsoon wave, Dr Awate cautioned those with comorbidities to continue taking precautions. He also said that precautions should be taken ahead of Diwali.
“The state is ready to celebrate Diwali in the coming days. On the background of rising swine flu cases, the festival should be celebrated with due care,” he told Times of India on Monday.
Rise in Dengue Cases
The national capital is seeing a sudden spike in dengue cases in October. Delhi recorded 300 new infections in the first five days of October itself, and as many as 693 cases were reported in September. The city has thus recorded more than 950 cases within last 45 days, bringing its total tally to to 1,258, as per a report by the MCD.
It is the highest number of dengue cases logged during the January 1-October 5 period since 2017, when the corresponding figure was 2,564. While no death has been reported so far this year due to the disease, a total of 153 cases of malaria and 28 cases of chikungunya have also been reported this year in Delhi till October 5, the report said.
Meanwhile, Mumbai, too, is seeing a surge in dengue cases. “At the moment, we are seeing more dengue than any other viral infection,” a doctor at a civic hospital told TOI.
Cases of vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria are usually reported between July and November, sometimes stretching till mid-December. Symptoms of vector-borne diseases include high fever, headache, rash and muscle and joint pain, which are quite similar to that of Covid-19.
In such a situation it has become difficult to ascertain whether a person suffering from fever, body ache and headache is Covid-19 positive or not, doctors have said. Last year, 9,613 dengue cases were recorded in the city, the highest since 2015, along with 23 deaths — the highest since 2016.
(With PTI inputs)
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