6 confirmed, 8 suspected cases of H1N1 reported in Gurgaon

With six confirmed and eight suspected cases of swine flu being reported by the health department so far this season from Gurgaon, health experts have stated that swine flu cases are likely to increase because of the changing weather in the region.

The most recently confirmed cases of swine flu include a 24-year-old man from Rewari and a 60-year-old man from Faridabad.

Ram Prakash, in-charge of the epidemic department at Civil Hospital, said, “So far, we have been apprised of eight suspected cases of swine flu in the city. The confirmed cases of swine flu, which were forwarded to us by various private and government hospitals in the city, do not come under our jurisdiction. However, we cannot deny the spread of virus.”

Till February 1, four confirmed cases of swine flu were reported in the city. The health department has maintained that all these cases were not from Gurgaon.

On January 31, the health department received information about two infected persons, including a 45-year-old man from Farrukhnagar and a 32-year-old man from Mahendragarh.

On January 17, a 43-year-old man died of swine flu in a private hospital in the city. The health department said the patient was a resident of Alwar in Rajasthan. He tested positive for swine flu while he was still in Rajasthan, and was later shifted to a private hospital in the city by his family.

Last year, eight cases of swine flu were reported from the district, with no deaths. The H1N1 virus was activate last year after staying dormant for the two consecutive years.

The number of swine flu cases being reported in the region are already much higher this year than the last.

As many as 22 cases of swine flu have been reported from New Delhi till February 17, a report by the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) stated. In the neighbouring state of Rajasthan, this number stood at 871, with 578 in Jaipur alone, states a report compiled by the Centre’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme that was released on February 11.

Though the health department is on an alert and has directed all private and government hospitals to inform the Civil Hospital immediately about any case of the H1N1 virus, no health advisory has been issued as yet.

The indicators of swine flu include rise in body temperature, unusual fatigue, headache, sore throat, loss of appetite, diarrhoea and/or vomiting.