Sporadic H1N1 cases no cause for worry: Doctors

After break of two months, two people test positive for swine flu virus in past week

Sporadic H1N1 cases no cause for worry: Doctors

After break of two months, two people test positive for swine flu virus in past week

Almost two months since the last reported case of swine flu in the city, the virus has reared its ugly head again. Two people have tested positive for the infection in the past week, one of them a doctor.

According to Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) chief medical officer Dr R R Pardeshi, these are the first positive cases reported after April.

Take care: Doctors have asked people to take preventive steps like
maintaining hygiene

The first person to test positive was a 61-year-old from Vishrantwadi. The report came on July 7, and though he is still admitted to hospital as he has other complications, officials said he was expected to get discharged soon.

The second case was that of a 31-year-old woman doctor from Sinhagad Road. She tested positive for the virus on July 13. She is also said to be making a fast recovery.
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Health officials urged people not to get panicky, saying such sporadic cases were likely to occur and were no cause for worry.

"Firstly, it would be wrong to say H1N1 is back. This virus entered Pune's climate two years ago and has always been there since. There was a pandemic-like situation but after the exposure due to that as well as the majority of the population having taken vaccination, people have developed herd immunity.

That's why numbers will not be reported as large, but a few sporadic cases might occur. However, this is no reason to worry," said Pardeshi. Private doctors, too, endorsed Pardeshi's opinion. Paediatrician Dr Sharad Agharkhedkar said people need not get worried and they only need to observe basic hygiene practices.

"Swine flu is like any other influenza and vaccination is also available to prevent it. Rather than spreading panic, which is completely unnecessary, people should observe basic hygiene practices like washing of hands, covering the nose while blowing or coughing, disposing used handkerchiefs in sanitised manner and reporting early to doctors if symptoms like runny nose, fever or cough and cold beyond three days persist," he said.

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