No mutation, but swine flu virus to continue to circulate:

Image
Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Mar 17 2015 | 9:42 PM IST
The government today made it clear that the swine flu virus, which has killed more than 1,700 people in the country, has undergone no mutation but would "continue" to circulate as a seasonal phenomenon.
Quoting a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, Health Minister JP Nadda told Rajya Sabha during Question Hour that the pandemic influenza virus would "continue to circulate" as the seasonal influenza virus, causing sporadic cases and outbreaks of various intensities.
A recent study released by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) said that the virus may have acquired mutations that make it "more severe and infectious" than previously circulating H1N1 strains.
"No mutation is taking place... The virus has not mutated at this point of time," the minister said, adding that the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune was constantly keeping a watch on the virus.
NIV had disputed the claim by MIT and said that the strain mentioned in the publication has "no relevance" to the 2015 outbreak.
NIV, which functions under the government's Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), had said that the strain analysed in the publication and the data of the original H1N1 virus available with it "did not" show any of the mutations.
The scientists behind the study -- Ram Sasisekharan, the Alfred H Caspary Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT, and Kannan Tharakaraman, a research scientist in the Department of Biological Engineering at the institute, have stood by their research and called the findings "accurate" even though the Indian government has disputed their claim.
The Union Health Ministry has said that as on March 16, 1,767 people have died of swine flu while the number of affected persons stands at 30,366.
Nadda said that the Centre has been assisting the affected states and Union Territories by providing logistic support for drugs, masks, personal protective equipment and vaccines. The minister, meanwhile, also said that vaccination for the flu was not recommended by experts.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Mar 17 2015 | 9:42 PM IST

Next Story