Number of swine flu cases coming down

A dip in temperature has also resulted in a dip in the number of influenza A H1N1, also popularly known as swine flu, cases reported in a day in the Capital.

A dip in temperature has also resulted in a dip in the number of influenza A H1N1, also popularly known as swine flu, cases reported in a day in the Capital.

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During the beginning of December, more than 250 new confirmed cases were being reported on a daily basis.

The graph has now curved in substantially, as the month is coming to an end.

On Saturday the city reported just 88 fresh cases of the viral disease, and two deaths. The two deaths of the day were reported from New Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital and Indraprastha Apollo Hospital.

Experts dealing with the disease in the state health ministry admit that this trend of the number of cases going down was expected with the drop in temperature.

“When the weather was comfortably cool, the number of cases rose considerably, but with the further dip in temperature virus transmission has seen a decline,” said Dr Anjan Prakash, State nodal officer for H1N1.

It is believed that during winters the virus spreads quickly, but according to health experts, the severe drop in temperature has actually reduced the number of virus transmissions.

The primary reason for it being that people are not interacting as much and are mostly staying indoors.

“Public movement becomes restricted when the climate is severely cold. Wedding functions are also over and schools have closed for winter vacations. All these factors together mean a reduced possibility of the transfer of H1N1 virus,” said Dr Prakash.

Meanwhile, with 88 new cases, the total number of persons affected with the disease in the Capital has touched 9,071.

The total number of deaths so far has touched 66.

In all, 5,191 children from the Capital have been infected with the H1N1 A virus.