17 swine flu cases in India, ministry warns of escalation

The number of swine flu cases across the country climbed upto 17 today as the Union Health Ministry warned of a spurt in number of cases after monsoon.

"They say that the H1N1 group of viruses proliferate more when the weather is slightly cooler," Health Secretary Naresh Dayal said.

"We are happy that this time it is not proliferating so much because the temperature is high. But after the monsoon there is a chance that it can come again," he added.

Meanwhile, the latest case in the country was that of one-and-a-half-year old boy who tested positive a day after his six-year-old sister tested the same for swine flu.

The siblings had reached India along with their parents from New York on June 10.

Since they are too young to be quarantined, the sister-brother duo are being accompanied in hospital by their grandfather, who was put on anti-viral drugs and has tested negative for H1N1 virus.

The family members are also being tested and their samples have been sent to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) for tests.

A 24-year-old student, who came to Hyderabad from Austin (US) via Dubai-Mumbai, was admitted to hospital for showing swine flu like symptoms.

In Tamil Nadu, a family of five, including a six- month-old infant, was quarantined at the airport with suspected symptoms after they arrived from the US.