Swine flu affecting young more: Health Ministry study

The raging swine flu virus in the country is affecting young people more and it was late reporting of cases which was leading to most deaths, a health ministry analysis has found.

In analysis of the data of those dead due to swine flu shows that the virus was most potent in people from 14-44 age group, which is the most productive age group, Director General of Health Services (DGHS) R K Srivastava told reporters here.

The instances of death have almost always taken place involving people who reported late, that is after five days or more of getting the symptoms and most of the times breathlessness has been the immediate cause of death, he said.

 

The study was conducted from random sample analysis of 30 of the 78 dead due to swine flu.

Though the sample size of the analysis is too small for a scientific study, this gives us a broad idea of the case patterns, Srivastava said.

The DGHS said there has also been a slight change in the clinical pattern of the behaviour of the swine flu virus with a tendency for increased severity manifesting itself.

Asking the people with symptoms of fever, breathlessness and cold to immediately report to a doctor, he said it is the only way to save lives.

He said no study has been conducted to find out the death rate due to the virus in the country but the fact that it was below one per cent of those affected and considering India's large population, it was not alarming.