NEW DELHI: The current surge in H1N1 infections in India is part of the seasonal influenza pattern and no new strain has been identified, ICMR Director General Dr Rajiv Bahl said, urging people not to panic as most cases are mild and self-limiting.
Addressing media on Tuesday, he said that the circulating virus is the familiar Influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 lineage that has been present since the 2009 pandemic.
The virus has since become an endemic, seasonal flu and most infections are mild and self-limiting.
"What we ordinarily call cough and cold is often caused by influenza viruses, and H1N1 is one of the types of Influenza A," Dr Bahl said.
He said H1N1 was earlier commonly referred to as swine flu, but has now become a seasonal influenza virus that circulates every year.
He explained that "influenza viruses have a characteristic tendency to mutate over time... they have a very classical behaviour.
"They mutate every year. This is how the virus survives. It is not a new strain," he said.
According to Dr Bahl, ICMR surveillance indicates that H1N1 is currently the most commonly detected respiratory infection among people presenting with cough and cold symptoms.
"Most of the cough-and-cold cases are due to H1N1. The most important thing is that the vast majority of these cases are very mild and self-limiting," he said.
"There is no cause for concern, and there is no need for everyone to get tested to determine which type of cough or cold they have," Dr Bahl added.
He said every outbreak reaches a peak and then declines. It is not possible to predict exactly when an outbreak will peak or start declining. However, it is expected that the number of cases will start coming down in the next few weeks, he said.
At present, Influenza A H1N1 is the most common, while H3N2 and Influenza B Victoria are also being detected. There are some COVID-19 cases as well, but those are also declining, he said.
He also cautioned against attempts to arrive at a total number of H1N1 cases by extrapolating available surveillance data. He said the ICMR does not measure hospital admissions for these cases. That information should be obtained from the Ministry of Health.
As for the total number of cases, determining that would require testing everyone. Since ICMR is not recommending testing everyone, there is little utility in seeking a total case count, he said.
Dr Bahl advised people with flu, cough, cold or fever to maintain adequate fluid intake, eat properly and get sufficient rest. They should also avoid close contact with others, cover their mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing, wash their hands frequently and maintain distance from people who are sick.
He said people should seek medical attention if they develop warning symptoms such as difficulty in breathing or chest pain, or any other serious symptoms. "Otherwise, there is currently no indication that this is a very serious illness," he said.
Dr Bahl, however, advised people at higher risk of complications, including elderly persons, immunocompromised individuals and pregnant women, to exercise greater caution.
Such people can consult their doctors regarding influenza vaccination, he said, adding that vaccination can be a good option for high-risk individuals when recommended by their doctor.
He advised vulnerable people to avoid contact with those who are sick, maintain hand hygiene and stay away from places where there are sick people.