After alarming rise, H1N1 cases dip in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Cases of H1N1 Influenza have dipped after an alarming rise in January and February in Tamil Nadu. The State recorded 260 cases and a death due to flu in January and 285 cases in February.

Tamil Nadu recorded a slight dip as 192 cases and one death due to Influenza in March, as per the latest State data by the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The numbers have further declined in April with not more than 100 cases recorded in Tamil Nadu, say sources from the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the state health department.

Until March, State recorded the highest number of 737 cases and two deaths in the country. So far, India has reported 1,616 Influenza cases and 21 deaths due to Influenza.

Government hospital doctors say that the hospitalisations due to Influenza, fever, common flu or COVID-19 have declined exponentially.

In case of admissions, it is mainly common in high risk category and the ones with several comorbid conditions.

"The numbers increased during the months of January and February, even as the H3N2 influenza cases were active. While the H3N2 influenza cases are negligible, the common H1N1 Influenza cases have also dropped and we hope to see it reducing further in the coming days," Dr P Sampath, joint director of the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine said.

"The cases of Covid were of concern even after the Influenza cases decreased, but now even the Covid-19 are reducing, not only in Tamil Nadu, but also across the country. It is a major relief but people should continue to practice safety measures," said Dr Sampath.