Mumbai on Alert Against Rising Swine Flu Cases as City Reports its First Death in 3 Years

Mumbai has been asked to stay alert as Influenza H1N1 (swine flu) in back in the city with at least four people being put on life support. The doctors have advised that the residents who test negative for Covid-19 must be tested for H1N1 by their physician.

Dr Prahlad Prabhudesai, a Pulmonologist, was quoted by Times of India as saying that a severe HIN1 infection badly affected the lungs of these patients. “At least 50% of patients with flu-like symptoms are coming positive for HIN1. It can be said H1N1 is competing with Covid right now,” he was quoted.

The state confirmed its first H1N1 casualty of 2022 when a nine-year-old girl from Talasari, Palghar died on July 10. There were 44 cases in 2020 and 64 in 2021 but no deaths have been reported in the past three years.

“These patients would come with high fever and all signs of upper respiratory tract infection. But when tested, they would be negative for covid,” chest physician Dr Rajesh Sharma was quoted by TOI.

One of Dr Sharma’s patients, who is currently on Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), came to the hospital with severe breathlessness, high fever and cough. “H1N1 was not diagnosed for 10 days before he came to us with extremely bad lungs,” Dr Sharma said.

According to the Times of India report, Bandra’s Lilavati Hospital has seven swine flu patients, two of whom are on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (CMO) therapy. CMO is considered the last resort and offered when even ventilatory support has failed. Both the patients are below the age of 50 years.

Dr Vasant Nagvekar, who has treated over a dozen cases in the past few weeks, said that Oseltamivir is an highly effective drug against Swine Flu.

“It works beautifully, provided it is administered within 48-72 hours and criticality can be avoided. In most cases, symptoms are fever, runny nose, bodyache, upper respiratory infection. Physicians must keep a very high index of suspicion for H1N1. Those with serious symptoms must not wait thinking it’s Covid,” added Dr Nagvekar.

The cases started rising three weeks ago. According to the civic body, 11 confirmed cases of influenza H1N1 have been reported in July so far, which is nine more than the number of cases in June. The doctors said they are encountering a minimum of two to three cases in their outpatient departments daily. H1N1 started as a global pandemic in 2019 but became endemic soon after.

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News, watch Top Videos and Live TV here.