H1N1 virus has claimed 135 lives in Maha since Jan 1

The H1N1 virus infection has claimed 135 lives so far in Maharashtra in 2019 with 25 people, including two from Mumbai, succumbing to it in the last 10 days, a state Health department official said Monday.

He said Pune had the maximum 36 deaths followed by Nashik and Nagpur at 29 and 23 respectively.

"The viral infection has been confirmed in 1,441 people in the state. Nagpur has reported 333 positive cases of H1N1 infection, which is highest in the state followed by Nashik with 256 cases. There are 140 cases found in Mumbai as well," the official said.

As per the World Health Organisation, it is an acute respiratory infection of varying severity, ranging from asymptomatic infection to fatal disease.

The H1N1 virus is similar to seasonal influenza but is characterised by higher activity during the northern summer season, higher fatality rates among healthy young adults and higher incidence of viral pneumonia.