Swine Flu claims 79 in Rajasthan this Jan

As many as 79 people have succumbed to swine flu in Rajasthan this year with a total of 2123 people across the state reportedly testing positive for seasonal influenza till January 31.

Meanwhile, according to data compiled by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Rajasthan is the worst affected in the country with at least 1,856 (40 per cent) of the total cases reported from the state till January 27.

In Jaipur, as many as three people lost their lives, while 78 others have been reported positive for swine flu. Till January 31, a total of 79 people have been reported to have died in the state from H1N1 influenza.

Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma visited the Mathuradas Mathur hospital in Jodhpur and inspected the various facilities and provisions made for swine flu patients and also interacted with patients there.

Talking to journalists, the minister said the state government had in the past 10 days conducted door to door surveys for swine flu of over 1 crore houses in the state. After assuming power the government had allocated for building separate wards for swine flu in five new medical colleges.

Swine flu cases generally rise in the winter season and a majority of people contracting the disease in the month of December and January.

President of the Department of Medicine at Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur, Deepak Chadha said that the swine flu or H1N1 symptoms are similar to normal influenza and present symptoms like fever, fatigue, shortness of breath, body ache, cough, diarrhoea and vomiting among others.

The contagious virus spreads through saliva or mucus of the infected person. People might also contract the infection by touching surfaces covered by the virus and then touching their eyes or nose.

"Isolation is very important and the affected person needs to stay away from the crowded areas or otherwise use masks, in order, to avoid the transmission of the virus from one person to another. The person gets treated within a span of four to five days. Once, the person gets well, the antibody of the H1N1 virus develops into his body, and the person gets immune to it," Chadha said.

The doctor noted that the H1N1 has been divided into three categories, whereby the first category includes the normal cold and cough, along with symptoms of mild fever and body ache. Amid such conditions, the victim can get well by receiving home-based treatment.

The second category includes influenza-like illness as the severity of the viral infection increases. The doctors then provide Tamiflu, an antiviral medicine, medication to the affected persons, while the third category needs the necessary treatment and hospitalisation of the affected person, Chadha explained.

"The virus would probably deactivate once the cold weather conditions reduce," the doctor said.

Rajasthan is among the states, which has been reporting a large number of swine flu cases. Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Maharashtra are among the states that have been majorly affected by the viral respiratory condition.