Written By: Satata Karmakar | Published : March 10, 2023 1:10 PM IST
Dengue fever often presents with high fever and extreme weakness in pregnant women. This can lead to dehydration and fatigue.
After COVID, India is now in the grip of the highly transmissible H3N2 influenza virus. The H3N2 is a subtype of the Influenza A virus that can cause respiratory illness in humans. It spreads easily and has led to a surge in influenza hospitalisations. According to the reports, two people died due to the highly infectious H3N2 influenza virus infection in the country on Friday. As per data, one person died in Haryana and the other death was reported in Karnataka. So far, the country has reported 90 cases of H3N2 virus infection, and 8 cases of H1N1 virus infection.
In a statement, the India Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said that H3N2 has resulted in more hospitalisations than any other flu subtypes currently circulating in the environment. So what is this new virus? How does it affect the body, and how one can stay safe from it? Let's take a look at what experts have to say.
H3N2 influenza, also known as the 'Hong Kong Flu', is spreading rapidly in India. This comes months after India successfully came out of the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed thousands of lives in the last two and a half years in the country. The virus attacks the respiratory system of the body, leading to symptoms which look like the flu. Apart from causing flu-like symptoms, H3N2 influenza is also highly contagious. It can spread easily through the air from an infected person to a healthy person. As per experts, the best way to stay safe from the virus infection is by taking proper care during the change in season period. And apart from this one must be able to recognise the symptoms associated with the H3N2 virus infection.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says avian, swine and other zoonotic influenza infections in humans have the ability to cause diseases ranging from mild upper respiratory infection (fever and cough) to rapid progression to severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, shock and even death. Therefore the global body stresses understanding the warning symptoms that are associated with the virus. In case of this, some of the common symptoms of the H3N2 virus are:
In its latest statement, ICMR scientists who keep a close watch on ailments caused by respiratory viruses has said that the H3N2 influenza, which is spreading widely for the past two-three months, causes more hospitalisations than other subtypes.
