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Delhi reports 6-fold surge in H1N1 flu virus cases: With over 1,344 new infections, why this influenza outbreak is concerning?
In the last few weeks, the national capital has witnessed a sudden surge in highly infectious H1N1 flu virus cases, mostly being dominated by severe throat pain and a runny nose. With 1,344 new H1N1 infections reported in just a short period nearly six times the number recorded earlier, let us understand that this year's influenza outbreak is a cause of concern.
In an exclusive interaction with TheHealthSite.com, Dr. Pranav Gupta, Consultant and Head, Molecular Biology Regional Reference Lab, Apollo Diagnostic Delhi, explained that influenza, also known as flu virus, is one of the most contagious respiratory illnesses caused by influenza viruses such as In A/B/H1N1/H3N2.
Dr Gupta further explained that the infection can be mild to severe and invite a risk mainly for children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
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Some of the most common symptoms of this infection include:
According to the reports, one of the biggest challenges this season is the overlap of symptoms with other infections. As per the current data, some of the most dominant signs that people in Delhi-NCR are witnessing are - fever, cough, sore throat and body aches. Experts note that this time the outbreak is concerning due to the fact that most of these are overlapping with signs of dengue, COVID-19 and other viral illnesses. This makes self-diagnosis unreliable.
Dr Gupta cautions, "Patients often assume it is a mild viral fever and delay seeking care. But if symptoms persist or worsen, that delay can be dangerous."
As discussed above, this year's flu outbreak is a major cause of concern due to the dominating signs, which are very much similar to other major viral and bacterial infections. However, in order to contain this spread and stay safe, everyone should exercise caution eat a balanced diet, exercise indoors, maintain personal and hand hygiene, wear masks, avoid being around sick people or crowded places, and not ignore symptoms such as fever or constant coughing.
Staying informed is important at this time, as cases may surge in the upcoming days, warned experts.
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