Swine flu is back to haunt India

A viral storm is raging across the country. More than 200 deaths due to Influenza A (H1N1), known as swine flu, have been recorded within a short period of over a month. India’s Health Ministry said Monday 1,115 of the 20,795 people infected with swine flu in 2015 have died. The majority of cases and deaths have been reported from the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana, and the capital city, New Delhi. Heavy rainfall in Delhi and other parts of the country's north can have bad impact on the current H1N1 virus .

Symptoms of swine flu are similar to those produced by standard seasonal flu - fever, cough, sore throat, body aches and chills. Some people with the virus also experience nausea and diarrhea. The disease originated from pigs, but is now a wholly human disease and is spread by coughing and sneezing.

Swine flu first appeared in Mexico in 2009 and rapidly spread around the world. The sudden burst of cases over the past month forced the health ministry to review the swine flu situation in various states and check if medical teams were ready to tackle and defeat an epidemic if it arises.

"With better monitoring, the number of fatalities should decline, but we are not taking chances and have asked all health departments to set up isolation wards in hospitals," A.K. Panda, a secretary in the health ministry, told DW.

Although the name 'swine flu' brings up a lot of extra fear and worry, it is important to take some precautions-

1)      Avoid over crowded places like picnic spots, shopping malls, restaurants etc.

2)      Use medicated facemask while going out, which are available free of cost in hospitals or at very nominal prices.

3)      Keep at least 6 feet gap from person sneezing or suffering from bad cough as germs in air can infect you.

4)      Be cautious while touching or using unhygienic public facilities like toilets, roadside food etc.

5)      Use sanitizer and frequently wash hands with soap after visiting public places.

6)      Pregnant women must avoid going to public places, as they are more prone to Swine Flu.

7)   Consult doctor immediately if cough and cold prevails for long duration. Infected person must visit doctor without hesitation.

While some of the Ayurvedic medicines like Kadha (prepared by boiling herbs in water) is also a good way to increase your immunity against this disease. Nowadays, many organizations are distributing them free of cost.

Priya Arora
Msc.Media || PG:1