2015 Indian swine flu outbreak

2015 Indian swine flu outbreak refers to an outbreak of the H1N1 virus[1] in India, during early 2015. The states of Gujarat and Rajasthan were the worst affected.[2][3][4]

Outbreak Of Swine Flu In India (2015)
Electron microscope image of the reassorted H1N1 influenza virus photographed at the CDC Influenza Laboratory.
Date1 January 2015 – May 2015
LocationIndia
Casualties
2,035 dead (as of 30 March 2015)
33,761 infected (as of 30 March 2015)

India had reported 937 cases and 218 deaths from swine flu in the year 2014. By mid-February 2015, the reported cases and deaths in 2015 had surpassed the previous numbers.[5] The total number of laboratory confirmed cases crossed 33,000 mark with death of more than 2,000 people.

Background

The H1N1 virus outbreak had previously occurred in India during the 2009 flu pandemic. The virus killed 981 people in 2009 and 1,763 in 2010. The mortality decreased in 2011 to 75. It claimed 405 lives in 2012 and 699 lives in 2013. In 2014, a total of 218 people died from the H1N1 flu, India recorded 837 laboratory confirmed cases in the year.[5]

Every year, there was a rise in number of cases and deaths during winter as temperature affects virus. During 2014–15 winter, there was a spurt in cases at the end 2014. In 2015, the outbreak became widespread through India. On 12 February 2015, Rajasthan declared an epidemic.[6]

Reported cases by states

By 20 March, according to the data released by the Health Ministry, 31,974 cases had been reported and 1,895 person had died to the disease.[7]

StateReported casesNumber of deaths Death rateNotes
Rajasthan6,559418 6.33%As of 30 March 2015
Gujarat6,500428 6.59%As of 30 March 2015
Delhi4,13713 0.29%As of 20 March 2015[2]
Maharashtra4,000+394 9.85%As of 30 March 2015
Madhya Pradesh2,185299 13.68%As of 30 March 2015
Telangana2,140+75 3.50%As of 30 March 2015[8]
Tamil Nadu32014 4.38%As of 20 March 2015[2][9][10]
Karnataka2,73382 3.00%As of 30 March 2015
Punjab22753 23.35%As of 30 March 2015
Andhra Pradesh7222 30.56%As of 20 March 2015[2]
Uttar Pradesh16536 21.82%As of 19 March 2015[2]
Chhattisgarh17 As of 20 March 2015[2]
Goa71 14.29%
Jammu and Kashmir10916 14.68%As of 20 March 2015[2]
Himachal Pradesh20 As of 20 March 2015[2]
Kerala2512 48.00%As of 20 March 2015[2]
Uttarakhand11 As of 20 March 2015[2]
Odisha225 22.73%As of 11 March 2015[11]
West Bengal5824 41.38%As of 20 March 2015[2]
Assam101 10.00%As of 9 March 2015[12]
Manipur52 40.00%As of 12 March 2015[13]
Mizoram4 0.00%As of 20 March 2015[14]
Nagaland1 0.00%As of 18 February 2015[15]
Total33,7612,035 6.03%As of 30 March 2015

Although Delhi, Karnataka, Telangana reported a large number of cases, the death toll was lower due to better awareness and a better developed health care sector.[16]

Timeline

On 13 February 2015, the Health Ministry began the procurement process of 60,000 units of Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and 10,000 units of N-95 masks. A tender for 10,000 diagnostic kits was floated.[17] The Health Ministry on 18 February 2015 said in a press release that there was no shortage of drugs or logistics problems.[18] By 22 February 2015, more than 13,688 had been infected and death toll was reported to be 812 in the year 2015.[19]

The President of the North West Chemist Association, Hakim Kapasi said in mid-February 2015 that, private pharmacies were facing a shortage because Oseltamivir was a controlled Schedule X drug and very few pharmacies had the license to sell it.[17]

Aligarh Muslim University and National Law University in Jodhpur suspended classes in mid-February after some of their students tested positive.[20]

In mid-February, the Government of Delhi fixed the price of swine flu diagnostics tests at ₹4,500 and the labs charging more that were issued show cause notices subject to cancellation of license.[21] On 24 February, the District Collector of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, prohibited unlawful assembly under Section 144 of the CrPC to prevent spread of the disease.[22]

March

A paper published in Cell Host and Microbe[23] stated that the virus had acquired a mutation which made it easier to infect humans, and called for real time surveillance with genetic and phenotypic analysis made available quickly, noting "Given the global reach of influenza, there is an urgent need to develop a comprehensive and at least somewhat standardized response to influenza epidemic outbreaks." This is contrary to the Indian government's claim that no mutations had been found.[24]

On 2 March, Maharashtra government announced that the cost of treatment of swine-flu patients in the state will be paid by the state government.[25]

See also

References
  1. "'It's H1N1 pandemic influenza 2009, not swine flu'". The Times of India. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  2. Press Trust of India (March 21, 2015). "Swine flu deaths at 1,895; number of cases near 32K mark". The Indian Express. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  3. "India struggles with deadly swine flu outbreak". BBC News. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  4. "Death toll Gujarat". Business Standard. 15 March 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  5. "Swine flu outbreak: 743 deaths, 12,000 cases set alarm bells ringing". Hindustan Times. 21 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  6. "Rajasthan declares swine flu epidemic". Business Standard. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  7. PTI (March 19, 2015). "Swine flu toll inches towards 1,900". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2015-03-20. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
  8. Press Trust of India (21 March 2015). "75 Swine Flu Deaths in Telangana; 32 Fresh Cases Reported". NDTV. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  9. "Swine flu toll climbs to 1,482". The Hindu. 11 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  10. "Egmore Woman Latest Victim of Swine Flu, Tamil Nadu Swine Flu Toll Rises to 12". The New Indian Express. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  11. "22 swine flu cases in Odisha". Zee News. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  12. "As swine flu toll crosses 1400, Assam reports first death". Hindustan Times. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  13. "Manipur swine flu patient dies - Assam brakes on tests". The Telegraph. March 12, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
  14. The Times of India (March 20, 2015). "Swine flu: 2 more test positive in Mizoram". The Times of India. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
  15. Iboyaima Laithangbam (February 18, 2015). "First swine flu case in Northeast". The Hindu. Archived from the original on March 20, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
  16. "Swine flu death toll nears 600 in India". The Times of India. 17 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  17. "Facing shortage, Govt expedites procurement of swine flu drug". The Times of India. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  18. "Indian health officials urge calm as swine flu outbreak spreads". Al Jazeera. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  19. "Swine flu claims 38 more lives, death toll crosses 800". Business Standard. 22 February 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  20. "India Deploys Expert Teams to Study Rise in Flu Cases". The New York Times. 19 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  21. "Delhi: Show cause notice to 2 labs for overcharging for swine flu test". IBNLive. 21 February 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  22. "Section 144 imposed in Ahmedabad to prevent swine flu as toll mounts to 231 in Gujarat". The Times of India. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  23. Kannan Tharakaraman; Ram Sasisekharan (2015). "Influenza Surveillance: 2014–2015 H1N1 "Swine"-Derived Influenza Viruses from India". Cell Host & Microbe. 17 (3): 279–282. doi:10.1016/j.chom.2015.02.019. PMID 25766285.
  24. "Indian swine-flu virus reveals dangerous new mutation". Business Standard. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  25. "Maharashtra to Provide Free Swine Flu Treatment After 150 Deaths". The New Indian Express. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
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