Respiratory diseases caused by the Influenza A virus subtype H3N2 and COVID-19 have reportedly increased dramatically in India during the previous week, leading authorities to take preventative steps. Dr. Randeep Guleria, former AIIMS-Delhi chief and chairman of the Institute of Internal Medicine and Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, said more H3N2 cases were being reported as people’s protection against the virus weakened as it mutated.
Many districts of India have reported a significant number of influenza patients with a persistent cough and prolonged illness in the last two or three months, causing alarm among authorities and healthcare professionals. The new spike in influenza illnesses has sparked alarm among the general public, two years after the breakout of the coronavirus pandemic, which is still ongoing.
What did Dr. Guleria have to say?
Dr. Guleria told ANI that the country is currently experiencing a rise in influenza cases, with patients reporting fever, sore throat, cough, body aches, and a runny nose. “[This] is a type of influenza virus, which we see every year during this time of the year. But it…changes over time, it mutates over time and what we call an antigenic drift,” he added.
As the H3N2 virus mutates, so does immunity to it: Guleria The present strain of the virus circulating, according to Dr. Guleria, is H3N2, which appeared more than a decade after the H1N1 (swine flu) epidemic in India.
“It is a normal influenza strain. But we are seeing more cases because as the virus mutates a little bit, the immunity…against the virus becomes a little less…therefore people, who are susceptible, tend to get infections more easily,” he added.
Doctors advise wearing a mask to avoid infection
Following the increase in occurrences, health experts issued a warning to persons who had co-morbid diseases. “If we need to really prevent yourselves from getting influenza. We need to wear a mask if we’re going to crowded places,” Dr. Guleria said. “We also need to wash our hands frequently and…have physical distancing…for influenza also there is a vaccine for the high-risk group and the elderly.”
Some states have announced plans ahead of Holi
Many states have placed limits and mandated preventative steps ahead of the Holi holiday due to an increase in instances. Although the Karnataka government made face masks necessary for health workers, Gautam Buddh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh enforced prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC, prohibiting public gatherings. Likewise, the Telangana state capital of Hyderabad reported a significant increase in viral flu cases last week.
The ICMR and IMA issued public warnings
This Monday, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) issued an advisory, attributing the country’s prolonged cold and cough to the Influenza A virus subtype H3N2. After the recent increase in cough, cold, and nausea cases across the country, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) issued a warning against the indiscriminate use of antibiotics.
What are the symptoms of H3N2 infection?
A persistent cough and fever are the most prevalent symptoms. Several folks have recently reported extended symptoms as well. The ICMR has also released a “dos and don’ts” list to assist folks in avoiding infection with the virus. It recommended people maintain proper hand and respiratory hygiene. The infection typically lasts a week, but the cough might last much longer.
COVID-19 increases by 63% in one week
COVID-19 instances have also surged in the last three weeks, according to the TOI. According to the data, the country saw a 63% week-on-week spike in COVID-19 cases in the seven days ending Sunday. The vast majority of cases were discovered in South India and Maharashtra. Notably, India documented almost 300 new COVID-19 instances on March 4, about 97 days later.