Maharashtra records spike in swine flu cases, highest since 2018

In 2020, the state recorded 129 swine flu infections with three deaths, which surged to 387 and two, respectively, in 2021. According to the health department data, the monthly number of cases has also increased by two-fold — the state recorded a monthly average of 32 swine flu cases in 2021, but 386 in the last seven months. Of this, the area under the Pune municipality reported a total of 1,030 swine flu cases and 43 deaths — highest among the total 36 districts, followed by Pune with 379 cases. Nagpur was the next in the line with 507 cases and three deaths, and Thane with 399 cases. The health department has screened over 1.48 lakh patients till September-end, and around 16,000 suspected patients were prescribed Oseltamivir — a recommended drug both for prophylaxis and the treatment of influenza.

Maharashtra surveillance officer Dr Pradeep Awate, meanwhile, said that several factors contribute to the spike in the cases. Firstly, it was the first monsoon season without a Covid-induced lockdown, resulting in increased movement of the people; secondly, people now are more sensitised and opt for early treatment. “We have been able to provide more timely treatment to the patients due to strict vigilance, and this has helped us in saving more lives. Earlier, people would often come late for treatment,” he said.

Dr Vasant Nagvekar, co-director of Infectious Disease at Sir HN Reliance Hospital, said, “We did see younger people behaving carelessly, and some of them require ECMO support. The spike in mortality rate could be due to severe ARDS adult respiratory distress syndrome. There was also a surge in cases in the near past, and it was really difficult to differentiate it from the Covid-19… Swine flu in many patients without comorbidities are self-limiting.”

However, with the largely subsided monsoon — which provides a suitable environment for the virus to thrive — in the state, the cases also have dropped gradually. Dr Awate said, “We always record the maximum number of cases during the monsoon. And then again during the winter.”