Stay clean, stay healthy

Swine flu, dengue, attacks on medicos and much more. MiD DAY looks at what made the news all year

Stay clean, stay healthy

Swine flu, dengue, attacks on medicos and much more. MiD DAY looks at what made the news all year

Swine flu became a household name this year. This virus forced the Maharashtra government to invoke the Epidemic Control Act 1897 for the first time after India gained independence.

Dubbed the first pandemic of the 21st century, the World Health Organisation raised the level of the swine flu pandemic alert to 6, the highest level to reflect that not only would this disease spread globally, but also wreak heavy financial losses.

And Pune has been at the epicentre of all this. The first victim in India, school girl Reeda Shaikh, was a Pune girl. The city also recorded the first mutation, however minor, in the H1N1 virus.

Shutting down schools and colleges, spreading panic among people at the slightest hint of a cold, leading to overcrowded hospital bedsu00a0-- this virus has done what no disease has done in the past.

From inspiring change in lifestyle like regular hand washing and lesser partying to dictating fashion trends like designer swine flu masks, this virus was the single most influential aspect in people's lives last year.

It claimed 146 lives in just five months, with the maximum casualties being in the 16-40 years age bracket. It also exposed the shortcomings of the public health systemu00a0-- reports of swab tests took a week to arrive, beds and ICUs fell short, etc.

Current Status: The vaccine is expected to arrive by March 2010. The second wave of the flu is expected to be much deadlier and hopefully the vaccine would be ready before it arrives.

Last word: "The H1N1 virus is here to stay so there is no point in panicking. The best way is to take precautions and get early treat- ment," said Dr Pradeep Awate, state epidemiologist.