Haryana
Punjab, Gujarat, Haryana Lead in H1N1 Deaths
- 31 Jul 2024
- 2 min read
Why in News?
Recently, Punjab, Gujarat, and Haryana have reported the highest number of H1N1 deaths in India, with 41, 27, and 26 deaths respectively.
Key Points
- Total Cases: India has recorded over 7,000 H1N1 cases so far.
- Top States for Cases: Delhi (1,563), Gujarat (1,049), and Rajasthan (1,008) have the highest number of cases.
- Health Ministry Guidelines: The Health Ministry has issued guidelines on screening, categorization, laboratory diagnosis, infection control, home care, and clinical management.
- Prevention Measures: Public awareness campaigns emphasize hand washing, covering the mouth while coughing or sneezing, and avoiding crowded places.
- Vaccination: Vaccination is highlighted as the best preventive measure against influenza.
H1N1
- H1N1 influenza causes a respiratory illness that can affect the respiratory tracts of pigs.
- Humans are at risk of swine flu, a zoonotic disease, through close contact with infected pigs.
- Swine influenza viruses can infect humans if their antigenic properties change due to reassortment with other influenza strains.
- This genetic shift can improve the virus's ability to replicate and spread, making it easier for human transmission.
- Such changes have led to pandemics, as seen in 1918 and 2009, when the virus gained the ability for efficient human-to-human transmission.
