A total of three more people tested positive for swine flu on Monday, taking the number of those infected to 1,418 this year, an official said. Three more people tested positive for swine flu, a doctor from Delhi Health Service (DHS) told IANS. So far, 16 deaths have been reported in Delhi -- one in January, 11 in February and four in March so far. The city has seen a spurt in the Influenza A (H1N1 virus) cases this year. In 2012, only 78 swine flu cases and one death were reported.
What is the swine flu virus?
Swine flu is caused due to a zoonotic disease which originally was transmitted from pigs to humans and now spreads from one human to another. The symptoms of swine flu are very similar to regular influenza and include fever, headaches, chills, diarrhoea, coughing and sneezing. One can prevent infection by maintaining basic hygiene and wearing a proper surgical mask during flu season. The number of cases shoots up during the summers and monsoon seasons. There are various vaccines available to combat the disease and antiviral treatments for prevention as well. One should however only use these medicines under a doctor s supervision as indiscriminate use might result in susceptibility to the virus.
Read: Why the swine flu situation in India is bad
Prevention
Swine flu isn t a disease that you can catch from pigs. It is in fact, a human virus that spreads from one human to another. The virus is extremely contagious. Here are some swine flu prevention tips:
Also read: Swine flu: All you need to know
Don t know the symptoms of swine flu? Check out our symptom search to know more about the H1N1 symptoms
Tired of reading? Check out our YouTube Channel
With inputs from IANS
Follow us on