‘From young to old, all affected’: Delhi sees 6-fold rise in swine flu cases, tally 1,449

Delhi has experienced a significant surge in swine flu cases this year, with 1,449 reported as of August 12, marking a six-fold increase compared to 229 infections in the same period last year, according to data from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh confirmed that 63 new cases were reported on August 11. The previous year, Delhi had recorded 3,637 H1N1 cases and 31 deaths.

Dr S Chatterjee, an internal medicine specialist at Apollo Hospital, stated that the cause of the current rise could only be determined after conducting a genetic study of the virus. It is possible that the virus has mutated or that the increase is due to more frequent human contact. Symptoms of the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, include fever, cough, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, sweating, and chills.

H1N1 can progress rapidly from a mild respiratory illness to a severe condition, affecting all age groups this year, from young to old. High-risk groups include individuals with weakened immunity and co-morbidities, such as diabetes, hypertension, lung disease, heart disease, pregnant women, and the elderly. Treatment focuses on symptom management, as antibiotics are ineffective. Early treatment with the antiviral drug oseltamivir is crucial.

The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, enables the government to take special measures when an epidemic poses a serious threat to public health and existing laws are insufficient to control it. The Act was enacted in 1897 during British rule to combat the bubonic plague outbreak in Bombay in 1896. In 2009, it was invoked during the H1N1 outbreak, with the first case reported in Hyderabad on May 16, 2009, resulting in 10,193 cases and 1,035 deaths by May 24, 2010.