New Delhi, Aug 25 Amid a spike in reports of Influenza A (H1N1), commonly known as swine flu, in several cities across the country, the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) Director General, Dr Rajiv Bahl, on Tuesday said that majority of the diagnosed cases are “mild and self-limiting”, while hoping that the surge will begin to subside in the next few weeks.
Speaking to reporters, Dr Bahl said: “H1N1 is a seasonal flu, what we commonly refer to as cough and cold, and at present, a large proportion of these cases are being attributed to the H1N1 virus, which is a type of Influenza A virus.”
He highlighted that the most important point is that the “majority of cases are very mild and self-limiting”.
“Therefore, there is no need for concern, nor is there any need for everyone to undergo testing to identify exactly which virus is causing their cough or cold. Testing is useful when the result would have an impact on treatment.”
Regarding the steps that need to be followed if one experiences flu symptoms such as cough, cold or fever, Bahl advised the intake of adequate fluids, maintaining a proper diet, and getting sufficient rest.
“Avoid close contact with others, particularly while you are symptomatic. Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing and wash your hands frequently,” he added.
He also asked people who are not sick to practise good hand hygiene and clean surfaces that may have been touched by someone unwell. “Maintaining some distance from people with respiratory symptoms helps prevent transmission,” he stressed.
“However, if you develop difficulty in breathing, chest pain, or any other serious symptoms, you should definitely seek medical attention at a hospital. Otherwise, we are not seeing any indication that this is a particularly severe illness at present. The number of cases has increased, but such seasonal fluctuations occur every year and, by themselves, are not a cause for concern,” the ICMR DG added.
He said that every outbreak reaches a peak, after which it begins to subside. “Though it is not possible to predict the slowing down of an outbreak, we are hopeful that within the next few weeks the cases will begin to come down,” he said.
The doctor identified the common strains which have been detected in patients as “Influenza A (H1N1), H3N2 and Influenza B (Victoria lineage), stating that all the strains carry similar symptoms.
“Apart from this, a few Covid cases are also there… which have now started to subside,” he said while adding no serious case has been detected so far.
He further said that people who are at a greater risk of complications, like the elderly, pregnant women or immunocompromised people, can discuss with their doctors if they need to get a flu shot.
