This story is from July 20, 2019

Karnataka sees 87 H1N1 deaths in 7 months; most in Shivamogga

Swine flu claimed 87 lives in the state this year; 13 died in Shivamogga — the highest in Karnataka — followed by Davanagere (12). Bengaluru has seen 245 cases of H1N1influenza A infection. Doctors said the virus strain has been virulent this time compared to previous years.
Karnataka sees 87 H1N1 deaths in 7 months; most in Shivamogga
(Representative image)
BENGALURU: Swine flu claimed 87 lives in the state this year; 13 died in Shivamogga — the highest in Karnataka — followed by Davanagere (12).
Bengaluru has seen 245 cases of H1N1influenza A infection. Doctors said the virus strain has been virulent this time compared to previous years.
No positive cases were reported at the government-run Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases in the last two months, director Dr C Nagaraj said.
“Every day, we get one or two suspected cases for which we are providing symptomatic treatment. These are not reported as H1N1 cases; patients are treated for the symptoms,” he said.
The latest death due to H1N1 in the hospital was of a 60-year-old Bengalurean in May 2019.
The hospital — nodal centre for treating respiratory infections — saw 39 H1N1 positive cases this year and 15 deaths. But the health and family welfare department’s death audit committee is yet to ascertain the cause of deaths. “The cases have come down in Bengaluru, probably because of the weather,” Nagaraj said.
Dr Sajjan Shetty, joint director, National Vector-borne Disease Control Programme, state health and family welfare department, said H1N1 cases have seen a decline in the last two months. “In 2018, the outbreak was seen in the second half of the year, post-September, till May 2019,” the doctor added.
The death audit committee members have hardly met, rued public health experts. “The department hasn’t done the death audit properly, which is necessary to prevent future outbreaks. No research has been done in the pattern of H1N1 Influenza A cases in the state,” said a community medicine specialist from Bengaluru.
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