Swine flu deaths rise in southern states

HYDERABAD: A 27-year-old man died in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool, 200 km from Hyderabad, of swine flu on Wednesday, making him the eighth victim of the disease in the district. It has taken the tally of swine flu-related deaths in South India to nearly 50 this year.

Earlier in the week, a pregnant woman died of swine flu in Kurnool district. While Maharashtra and Rajasthan reported around 408 deaths related to swine flu, the increasing frequency of fatalities in the south has prompted health officials to step up preventive measures.

According to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), a total of 1,260 cases of swine flu were reported from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telengana, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry until October 14 this year. Out of this, at least 37 persons succumbed to the illness.

“Every outbreak has an initial phase, following which it will reach its peak before it starts receding. Since there are an increasing number of cases reported, we cannot tell at what phase the outbreak is this year. Till August this year, only a few cases were reported, but from September, due to seasonal change, viral activity has increased,” said S Sajjan Shetty, joint director, National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme.

In Tamil Nadu, 11 swine flu deaths were reported. K Kolandaswamy, director, public health and preventive medicine, Tamil Nadu, said: “Chennai and surrounding districts are seeing the maximum number of cases. We have formed 15 committees in this region. Across the state, the health department and local administration are working together to curb the spread of swine flu.”

Other southern states have established similar teams, with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) having set up teams across the city. The Puducherry health department has also formed special teams to destroy larva forming sources, said KV Raman, director of health services, Puducherry. One hundred and thirty cases have been reported in Puducherry and 39 people are under treatment.

Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh saw the most deaths in a short span of time. District health officer JVVRK Prasad said, “At least five persons died in co-morbid conditions, a condition in which swine flu co-occurs with another ailment, in the past one week.” In Hyderabad, three swine flu related deaths were reported.

“This is the biggest outbreak since September 2015. The virus is already in the community and those who have lost their immunity are particularly susceptible to falling ill,”Sunanda Reddy, district surveillance officer, Bengaluru Urban, said.